Indian star paddlers Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal qualify for WTTC finals

Doha [Qatar], January 12 (ANI): Sharath Kamal, the 2022 Commonwealth Games table tennis champion, Manika Batra, the top-ranked woman in India, and Sreeja Akula, the 2022 national champion, all qualified for the 2023 World Table Tennis Championship on Tuesday by making it to the round of 16 at the Asian WTTC Continental Stage in Doha.
The Asian WTTC Continental Stage offers 28 quotas in women's singles, 25 in men's singles, 12 in women's doubles, 14 in men's doubles, and 8 in mixed doubles, in accordance with the qualification rules for the World Table Tennis Championship 2023, which will take place in Durban, South Africa, in May.
However, in the men's, women's, and mixed events, each nation is only allowed a total of four entries as per the Olympics website.
While Manika Batra, the top-ranked Indian in the world at No 35, blanked Zhu Chengzhu of Hong Kong 4-0 (13-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8) to secure her spot in the world championships, Sharath Kamal, ranked 47th, defeated Ahmadian Amin of Iran, ranked No 185 in the world, 4-1 (13-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6) in the round of 32.
To advance to the WTTC Finals, Sreeja Akula defeated World No 21 Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei 4-3 (11-2, 5-11, 2-11, 5-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8) in the world.
The players that advanced past the round of 16 received automatic entry into the WTTC Finals, but the remaining spots were allocated based on finishes in the elimination matches.
Swastika Ghosh qualified for the World Table Tennis Championship on Wednesday, making her the third Indian woman's singles player to do so. Swastika Ghosh, who was ranked 243, shocked World No 70 Chinese Taipei's Liu Hsing-Yin won 4-3 (11-7, 2-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9) to place within the top 24.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, who was ousted from the men's singles competition in the round of 64, ultimately qualified for the WTTC Finals in the mixed doubles with Manika Batra by defeating Hiroto Shinozuka and Miyuu of Japan 4-1 in the round of 16. (11-9, 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7).
Along with Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan qualified for the men's doubles competition at the WTTC Finals with a 4-0 (11-5, 11-0, 11-9, 11-8) victory over Qatar's Mohammed Abdulwahab and Khalil Al-Mohannandi to place in the top 16.
January 13 marks the conclusion of the Asian WTTC Continental Stage 2023. Diya Chitale, a player in the women's singles division, is still attempting to qualify for the WTTC Finals. (ANI)