India eves suffer second consecutive defeat in World TT

Bremen, Germany, Apr 25 (UNI) Poulomi Ghatak's win in the first rubber was the only consolation as Indian women suffered their second consecutive defeat, going down to Czech Republic 1-3 in the second round of World Team Table Tennis Championship here today.

With today's loss, India's chances of advancing to the next stage of the tournament from the six-country Group 'A' look bleak with title contenders China and Belarus maintaining their all-win record from two outings. Romania and Czech Republic have one win and one loss, while Serbia have also lost their two matches in the same group.

It was India who drew the first blood with Poulomi putting the team ahead against their more fancied rivals as she outlasted Iveta Vacenovska 11-5, 14-12, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6 in a close encounter.

But national champion Mouma Das could not capitalise on the good work done by Poulomi. After losing the first game, Mouma drew parity by winning the second before eventually going down to the highest ranked Czech Renata Strbikova 5-11, 11-6, 7-11, 8-11.

Nandita Saha began the third rubber on a promising note, taking the first game from Jana Dobesova but lost the next two and failed to stretch the match to the decider faltering in the closely-fought fourth game. She lost 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 13-15.

Playing her second match of the day, Poulomi needed something extraordinary to upset World No 63 Renata. Trailing 1-2, the Indian, however, raised hopes winning the first and fourth games but she soon ran out of steam in the deciding game and succumbed 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 15-13, 4-11.

UNI XC PDS AY GC1718