Sharath Kamal finishes 5th in Killerspin invitational table tennis

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) India's top paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal lost his first round match but finished a creditable fifth in the prestigious Killerspin invitational tournament in Chicago.

Sharath Kamal lost to eventual winner and world number 15 Kalinikos Kreanga of Greece in three games in the opening round of the eight-player field and failed to reach the semi-finals.

But the world number 113 Indian salvaged some pride, beating lowly Ilija Lupulesku of United States, ranked 32 places below him, to share the fifth place with former world champion and current number 41 Jorgen Persson of Sweden in the tournament held on December 29 and 30 as part of Chicago's annual Holiday Sports Festival.

Other stars in the year-ending tournament were Aleksandar Karakasevic of Serbia (world no. 32), Jean-Michel Saive of Belgium (world no. 23), Zoran Primorac of Croatia (world no.

24) and Koji Matsushita of Japan (world no. 38), according to information received here today.

UNI