Multiple CWG medalist, and one of India’s greatest table tennis player, veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal entered the Round of 16 of the Singapore Smash, after registering a stunning 3-1 victory over WR-13 Darko Jorgic on Wednesday. Sharath beat the Slovenian 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.
Sharath, the 41-year-old, started his campaign after winning his qualifying round match against Romania’s Andre Istrate, Yuta Tanaka of Japan and Deni Kozul of Slovenia. Come the main draw, Sharath got the better of World No. 31, Chile’s Nicolas Burgos 3-0 (11-5, 11-4, 11-6) in the first round.
As for the pre-quarters, the World no. 88 Indian will either face Egypt’s Omas Assar or Korea’s Lee Sang Su.
Meanwhile, in the women’s doubles, Asian Games bronze medalists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee lost 1-3 (4-11, 14-12, 3-11, 9-11) vs Adina Diaconu and Maria Xiao in the round of 16. In the first round they beat Japan’s Miu Hirano and Miwa Harimoto 3-2 (11-8, 5-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9).