The gulf at school was clearly seen because the Indian males’s staff was blanked 3-0 by Chinese language Taipei within the semifinal of the Asian TT Championships in Astana on Thursday.
Whereas their win over Kazakhstan within the quarterfinal the day prior to this confirmed a medal for India, they couldn’t up their sport in opposition to the Taipei aspect led by World No. 11 Lin Yun-Ju.
Regardless of the loss, confirming their third successive medal on the Asian Championships — they clinched bronze on the 2021 and 2023 editions — is a big deal however the Indian staff, led by veteran Sharath Kamal, must deeply ponder how they will elevate their sport to a stage the place they will compete with the most effective in Asia. Thoughts you, the Taipei aspect is well among the many high 4 in Asia after China, Japan, and Korea.
Whereas the strategy of placing the ball again onto the desk irrespective of the return is a standard thread, the Indian ladies have managed to beat high gamers, utilizing their pimpled rubbers to outsmart their opponents whereas additionally working tirelessly on their health and forehand assaults. In distinction, the lads’s sport is predicated on sheer energy and pace the place agility is vital.
Former India participant Aman Balgu, who at the moment coaches Manika Batra mentioned that the highest worldwide gamers are supremely match and that’s one of many key variations.
“In case you see the highest gamers, they bend much more, staying decrease to the desk. It’s not at all times the case with our gamers. So as to try this persistently, you want immense health and I really feel that’s undoubtedly one space the place if we enhance, we will produce higher outcomes in opposition to high gamers.”
In opposition to the Taipei staff, there was a gulf at school in all three departments.
42-year-old Sharath opened the match in opposition to the very agile Yun-Ju. When it comes to approach, Sharath’s wealth of expertise is unmatchable. He has been the Indian males’s desk tennis flagbearer for nearly twenty years and there’s little that he doesn’t know concerning the sport. But Yun-Ju, who gained the WTT Champions in Frankfurt final 12 months, was capable of masterfully dominate him by shifting him backward and forward. Sharath simply wasn’t capable of match the tempo and Yun-Ju’s down-the-line backhands have been an excessive amount of for him to deal with.
Paris: Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar and Sharath Kamal of India react through the Males Workforce Spherical of 16 Match between China and India of the Desk Tennis competitions within the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games, at The South Paris Area in Paris, France, 06 August 2024. (EPA-EFE/RITCHIE B. TONGO VIA PTI)
After dropping the opening sport 11-7, Sharath tried to drive himself into the match by holding a lead in a second sport, taking it to tie-breakers, however simply couldn’t go over the road. He had a 2-point lead within the third sport too, however was wasteful together with his serves, giving Yun-Ju to alternative to assault and take the match.
The one vivid spark in the whole tie got here from World No. 60 Manav Thakkar taking a sport off World No. 22 Kao Cheng-Jui. Although he misplaced the match 3-1 (11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11), barring the third sport, he was at all times within the contest, even taking the fourth sport to tie-breakers the place he was unlucky to concede a internet level.
In what turned out to be the ultimate match of the tie, Harmeet Desai was blown away by World No. 70 Huang Yan-Cheng 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-7). Although Harmeet hasn’t been in the most effective of kind, he was anticipated to offer Yan-Cheng a superb struggle however the Taipei participant had a solution to all of his assaults. Harmeet simply wasn’t fast sufficient to reply to Yan-Cheng’s returns that fell to his backhand and was repeatedly punished.
Coach Massimo Costantini instructed The Indian Specific from Astana that whereas he was happy with the efficiency as a complete, he desires particular person gamers to step up and get these large wins.
“Technically or tactically we did nothing mistaken. We misplaced in opposition to a greater staff with higher gamers. I’m pleased with what we’ve got achieved at this match although everyone knows that we’ve got to enhance. The best way we are going to enhance is by getting wins in opposition to high gamers.
“Manav was taking part in in opposition to a top-20 participant however his opponent was truly slightly frightened of taking part in in opposition to him. That’s a superb signal but it surely’s provided that we get one large win is after we will proceed getting large wins. That may come by taking part in collectively at extra worldwide tournaments,” the Italian mentioned.
Manav instructed The Indian Specific that by travelling and coaching as a unit, they’re slowly enhancing.
“We have now staff conferences on daily basis the place we assessment all the things. That occurred solely sporadically earlier. It’s good to get totally different views as a result of everybody right here desires the opposite to enhance and no person factors fingers on the different. It’s nice as a result of we all know there’s at all times a staff to again us it doesn’t matter what.”