. 14/10/2024 6:32 PM
India’s table tennis teams made history once again at the Asian Table Tennis Championships 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan, by securing multiple bronze medals. This marks a significant achievement for the Indian contingent, with both the men’s team and the women’s doubles team bringing home medals. India’s performance at the tournament solidifies its growing stature in Asian table tennis, especially with consistent podium finishes in recent years.
The Indian men’s table tennis team secured its third consecutive bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships. The team’s impressive journey to the semi-finals culminated in a 3-0 loss to Chinese Taipei, marking their continued presence as one of the top teams in Asia.
India’s semi-final match featured some closely contested games but ultimately ended in defeat:
Sharath Kamal (World No. 42), India’s veteran player, faced Lin Yun-Ju (World No. 11), losing in straight sets: 11-7, 12-10, 11-9.
Manav Thakkar (World No. 60) managed to win a game against Kao Cheng-Jui (World No. 22) but eventually lost the match 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11.
Harmeet Desai (World No. 91) was overpowered by Huang Yan-Cheng (World No. 70) in a match that ended with scores of 11-6, 11-9, 11-7.
India advanced to the semi-finals with a solid 3-1 victory against Kazakhstan in the quarter-finals, where key players like Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar, and Harmeet Desai made valuable contributions.
This bronze medal is India's third straight in the men’s team event, following similar successes in 2021 and 2023. Overall, India has now secured seven bronze medals in the men’s team event at the Asian Championships.
In a groundbreaking achievement, India’s top-ranked women’s doubles pair, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee, won a bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championships 2024. This historic win marks the first time an all-Indian women’s doubles pair has medaled in this prestigious tournament.
In the semi-finals, the Mukherjees faced Japan’s highly ranked duo, Miwa Harimoto (World No. 33) and Miyuu Kihara, losing in straight sets: 11-4, 11-9, 11-9. Despite leading by four points in the second game, Ayhika and Sutirtha were unable to maintain their advantage, as Harimoto and Kihara made a strong comeback to seal the match.
This bronze medal is particularly significant, as it follows the women’s doubles success of Gool Nasikwala, who won gold with Japan’s Yoshiko Tanaka in 1952. Ayhika and Sutirtha’s achievement also builds on their previous success at the 2023 Asian Games, where they secured India’s first-ever women’s doubles medal. Additionally, the pair made headlines last year by becoming the first Indian duo to win the WTT Contender women’s doubles title in Tunis.
The Indian contingent wrapped up the 2024 edition of the Asian Table Tennis Championships with three bronze medals, further solidifying India’s place among the top table tennis nations in Asia.
The Indian women’s team secured a historic bronze in the team event, marking their first-ever medal in the women’s team category since the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) began organizing the competition in 1972.
The Indian men’s team clinched their third consecutive bronze in the men’s team event.
The women’s doubles pair, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee, became the first all-Indian pair to win a medal at the Asian Championships, making history for Indian women in table tennis.
India’s medal tally at the Asian Table Tennis Championships now stands at eight bronze medals overall.
While the team events garnered much attention, India’s individual players faced tough competition:
Manika Batra, a former Commonwealth Games champion, was eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s singles.
Sharath Kamal, India’s veteran table tennis star, was unable to progress beyond the round of 64 in the men’s singles.
India’s continued success at the Asian Table Tennis Championships highlights the country's growing prowess in the sport, but challenges remain. The men’s team, despite its consistent bronze finishes, is still chasing a higher podium spot. Similarly, while the women’s team and doubles pairs have made historic strides, they will be aiming to further enhance their performance in future tournaments.
The results from the 2024 Asian Table Tennis Championships provide a promising foundation for India to build upon as it eyes future events like the World Table Tennis Championships and the Olympic Games.
