Japan survive India scare
India, ranked 21 in the world, nearly pulled of a sensational upset over world number 3 Japan at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF-Asian Championships in Wuxi, according to information received here, bowing out 2-3 thanks to Koki Niwa, the backbone of the Japanese triumph.
Soumyajit Ghosh, ranked 85, had given his team the perfect start with a win over world no 25 Yuya Oshima (7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 811, 11-6).
54th ranked Achanta Sharath Kamal recovered from a first set thrashing and held a total of three match points in the fourth game against 13th ranked Koki Niwa before losing (11-1, 6-11, 811, 14-12, 12-10).
The agony continued as Harmeet Desai, despite leading 2-1 and 10-all in the fourth game against world no 19 Kenta Matsudaira, fell to a five-game defeat (5-11, 8-11, 11-2, 14-12, 11-6).
Sharath then kept the tie alive when he beat Yuya Oshima (11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 6-11, 11-6) to set an intriguing battle between Ghosh and Koki Niwa to settle the issue. Soumyajit Ghosh, ranked 85, had given his team the perfect start with a win over world no 25 Yuya Oshima (7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6).
Ghosh began well but eventually lost 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4.
India, who subsequently, lost the 5-6 positions match against Hong Kong 0-3 will now play for the 7-8 positions.
Meanwhile, the Indians had something to cheer about in the team event, having beaten DPR Korea 3-2 in the first division final for the first time ever. It came as consolation after India took the Japanese to the brink.
It was not easy against the North Koreans, however, though both Soumyajit and Harmeet had given another perfect start beating Choe Il 11-6, 11-9, 12-10 and Pak Sin Hyok 11-5, 11-13, 118, 6-11, 11-5 in a tough second rubber.
What followed was surprising as G. Sathiyan was blanked out by Kang Wi Hun who won 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 and Ghosh lost his reverse singles to Pak Sin Hyok 10-12, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 to leave the fate of the tie in the hands of Harmeet.
The man from Surat did not disappoint as he beat Choe Il 117, 11-5, 11-9 to make some amends for his lapse against Japan.