Ayhika dan Sutirtha Mukherjee memenangkan medali ganda putri pertama di Kejuaraan TT Asia

Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee have secured India’s first-ever medal in women’s doubles at the Asian Table Tennis Championships by reaching the semifinals.

The women’s team has shown great consistency in major competitions, recently reaching the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics. Although Ayhika was not part of the Olympic squad, her return after Archana Kamath’s unexpected retirement proved important in India’s success against South Korea.

Ayhika’s giant-killing streak

Ayhika has earned a reputation as a tough competitor, having previously defeated world number one Sun Yingxia of China during the World Team Championships earlier this year.

Match highlights

On Tuesday, Ayhika put India in the lead with a closely contested victory over eighth-ranked Shin Yuben, winning 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7. Following Ayhika, world number 29 Manika added another point for India with a hard-fought 12-14, 13-11, 11-5, 5-11, 12-10 win against 16th-ranked Jeon Jihee, bringing the score to 2-0.

Sreeja’s setback

India’s top-ranked player, Sreeja Akula, faced a setback, allowing the Koreans to bounce back after losing to Lee Eunhye in straight games with scores of 6-11, 10-12, 8-11. Yubin then tied the match with a gritty performance, overcoming Manika with a score of 13-11, 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 12-10, creating a tense atmosphere in the semifinals.