Asian Games 2023 TT: Manika enters prequarterfinals; mixed pair knocked out

Star Indian paddler Manika Batra entered the pre-quarterfinals with a dominating win over lower-ranked Nepal's Nabita Shrestha in women's singles at the Asian Games here on Thursday.

Manika, a 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and a bronze winner in mixed doubles at the Jakarta Asian Games, blanked Nabita 4-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-3, 11-2) in just 20 minutes to set up a clash with Thailand's Suthasini Sawettabut.

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However, Sreeja Akula faced a humiliating defeat to North Korea's Songgyong Pyon 0-4 (6-11, 4-11, 13-15, 9-11) to bow out of the competition.

In the men's doubles, Indian duo of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah defeated Mohamed Shaffan Ismail and Moosa Munsif Ahmed of the Maldives 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-2) to enter the round of 16.

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Another Indian pair Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Sharath Kamal Achanta, outplayed Mangolian combination of Ser-Od Gankhuyag and Manlaijargal Munkh-Ochir 3-0 (11-5, 11-3, 11-3) in just 13 minutes.

However, India's mixed pair of Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra failed to control their nerves at the last moment, losing against Zhe Yu Clarence Chew and Jian Zeng of Singapore 2-3 (11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 10-12, 3-11) in a close pre-quarterfinals clash at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park.

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The other mixed pair, Sreeja Akula and Harmeet Rajul Desai also bowed out losing 0-3 (4-11, 6-11, 10-12) to Orawan Paranang and Phakpoom Sanguansin of Thailand.