Manika Batra drops out of World Singles qualification tournament

Paddler Manika Batra’s race in the World Singles Qualification Tournament came to an end on Monday when she suffered a 4–1 defeat against Xiaoxin Yang of Monaco in a women’s singles knockout Phase-I semifinal match in Doha. Despite losing the first two games, world number 63 Batra held his own and tried to return by winning the third game. However, his relatively high-ranked rival, Yang, the world number 44, did not let the momentum slow down and tied the tie 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9.

Earlier in the quarter-finals played late on Sunday, Batra beat Rimma Gufranova of Uzbekistan 12–10, 11–3, 11–6, 11–4 while Sutirtha Mukherjee was 12–10, 7-11 against Russian Polina Mikhailova. , Lost 8–11, 11–8 in exciting match, 10–12, 5–11.

Achanta Sharath Kamal and Gyanasekaran Sathiyan also bowed out after losing their respective men’s singles second round matches on Sunday.

Indian paddlers will now shift their focus to the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament, which is scheduled in Doha on 18-20 March.

Promoted

Sharath and Sathiyan will play Batra and Mukherjee in men’s singles.

In the mixed doubles category, Sharath and Batra will seal the Olympic berth.