Archana Kamath put up a valiant effort, but it was not enough as India suffered a 1-3 defeat to the technically superior Germany in the women's table tennis team event quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Unfortunately, this loss marked the end of India's table tennis campaign at the Olympics.
The Indian duo of Sreeja Akula and Archana faced a tough challenge in the opening doubles match, ultimately losing 5-11, 11-8, 10-12, 6-11 to the German pair of Yuan Wan and Xiona Shan. Despite holding their ground until the third game, Sreeja and Archana were unable to secure a victory, leading to their defeat.
In the first singles match, Indian star Manika Batra struggled to find her rhythm, winning the first game but ultimately losing the next three (11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 5-11) against Annett Kaufmann. This loss put Germany in a commanding 2-0 lead in the tie.
However, Archana provided a glimmer of hope for India by securing a hard-fought victory over Xiona Shan in the second singles match with a score of 19-17, 1-11, 11-5, 11-9.
Despite Archana's efforts, Germany ultimately sealed the tie in the third singles match as Kaufmann defeated Sreeja 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, securing a semifinal berth for Germany.
On the other hand, India's top wrestling medal hopeful, Antim Panghal, suffered a devastating 0-10 defeat against her Turkish rival, Yetgil Zeynep, in the women's 53 kg category at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Antim, who secured an Olympic quota in the category previously held by Vinesh Phogat, was thoroughly outmatched and defeated in just 101 seconds in the first round. Zeynep claimed victory through Technical Superiority, holding a commanding 10-point lead over her Indian counterpart.
Zeynep demonstrated her dominance by swiftly pinning Antim for two points, adding another two points, and executing a double flip for an additional four points. The Turkish wrestler sealed her triumph with two more points before the referee halted the match, leaving Antim visibly distraught.
Despite this setback, there remains a glimmer of hope for Antim if Zeynep advances to the final, as she may still have a chance at redemption through repechage.
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