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 influential 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.
Ayhika Mukherjee’s career
Ayhika Mukherjee has had an impressive journey in table tennis, with some decent achievements across various competitions. At the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she secured a bronze medal in doubles. Following that, at the 2024 Asian Championships in Astana, she again earned a bronze medal in doubles and doubled with a bronze after winning in the team event. Her success at the 2019 South Asian Games was also remarkable, where she won a gold medal in the team event.
Suthirtha Mukherjee’s career highlights
Sutirtha Mukherjee has made a good impact in the game. She won a bronze medal in doubles at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and added another bronze in doubles and a bronze medal in the team event at the 2024 Asian Championships in Astana. Her standout moment came at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, where she clinched a gold medal in the team event. Sutirtha also shone at the 2019 South Asian Games, securing gold medals in singles, mixed doubles, and team events in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
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.
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