Indian paddlers Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula stunned the world’s top two players, Sun Yingsha and Wang Yidi, but it wasn’t enough as the side went down 2-3 to defending champions China at the World Table Tennis Team Championships in Busan on Friday.
Starting the proceedings for India, Ayhika, ranked 155, punched way above her weight to pull off a brilliant 12-10, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6 win against world number one Yingsha to give her team a 1-0 lead.
Commonwealth Games medallist Sreeja pulled off a dominating win over Yidi. The Indian won 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 13-11). India’s top-ranked player Manika Batra disappointed, losing both her matches to world number four Wang Manyu (3-11, 8-11, 15-13, 7-11) and Yingsha (3-11, 6-11, 13-11, 9-11).
With the tie locked at 2-2, the 26-year-old Ayhika was unable to recreate the magic of her opening match and went down in straight games to Manyu 9-11, 11-13, 6-11.
