India Shines at Table Tennis World Championships Despite Early Exit for Akula

India's performance at the Table Tennis World Championships saw a mix of triumph and disappointment. Sreeja Akula faced an early exit after losing to Thailand's Suthasini Sawettabut, despite winning the first game. The Indian took the lead but faltered, making several unforced errors to lose the match in just 33 minutes.

In contrast, Asian Games medalists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee fought hard to break their six-match losing streak by defeating the Turkish pair of Ozge Yilmaz and Ece Harac in a nail-biting five-game match. This win, following a spirited comeback, ensured their passage to the next round.

The Indian duo of Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghodpade, after a shaky start, overcame Uzbekistan's Magdieva and Erkebaeva to book their spot in the second round. Similarly, the men's team of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah secured their victory with a commanding performance against Slovenia's Deni Kozul and Peter Hribar.

(With inputs from agencies.)