India's women paddlers maintained their good form as they brushed aside the Italian challenge with a 3-1 victory while the men's team surrendered their 2-3 against same rivals in the Stage-I of the 2nd division group matches at the World Table Tennis Championships here today.
In the women's tie, K Shamini laboured a lot before losing 4-11 3-11 11-8 11-9 9-11 to Chiara Colantoni in what should have been an easy battle for the Indian.
Shamini had everything going for her in the fifth game but a couple of crucial errors cost her dear.
Manika Batra then levelled proceedings defeating Debora Vivarelli 11-8 8-11 11-9 14-12 to level the sore. Then Pooja Sahasrabudhe, who was playing her first match today, accounted for Lisa Ridolfi 8-11 11-3 13-11 11-3 in what turned out to be a one-sided affair barring the first game. Manika then, won her reverse singles by beating Colantoni in straight games of 11-8 11-6 11-5 to avenge for Shamini's defeat.
They have one more match in Stage 1 against Bulgaria tomorrow evening and if they manage to win they would have set a record of sorts for winning five straight matches in a world event.
In the men's event, Harmeet Desai lost his opening singles to Mihai Bobocica 10-12 11-8 7-11 9-11 but both Achanta Sharath Kamal and Soumyajit Ghosh won their singles to give India 2-1 lead.
Sharath beat Niagol Stoyanov 12-10 12-10, 11-3 and Ghosh downed Leanardo Mutti 6-11 11-8 11-9 9-11 11-9.
In his reverse singles, however, Sharath lost to Mihai 1-11 7-11 11-7 12-10 9-11 putting the burden back on Desai who failed to pass the test against Niagol as he lost 11-8 7-11 8-11 22-24.
