World Team Table Tennis C'ships: India men thrash Tunisia; women handed walkover

The Indian men's team made a strong start to its campaign at the World Team Table Tennis Championships with a convincing 3-0 win over Tunisia, while the women's side was awarded a walkover here on Tuesday. Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desai registered impressive wins for India. Shah got the team off to a steady start, defeating Essid Wassim 3-1 (11-5 9-11 11-3 11-5) before Thakkar and Desai picked up identical 3-0 wins. World No 38 Thakkar then extended the lead, overwhelming Yousef Aidli 11-3 11-3 11-3 in a one-sided contest. Desai wrapped up the tie with a composed display, beating Aboubaker Bourass 11-5 11-4 11-8 to seal a comprehensive win for the Indian side. Placed in Group 7 of Stage 1B, the result has propelled the Indian men's team to the top of the standings in a group that also features Slovakia and Guatemala. Earlier in the day, the Indian women's team received a 3-0 walkover after Uganda failed to report for the tie. Like the men, the women's side is also competing in Stage 1B of the tournament. The top two seeded groups, featuring the top seven teams plus hosts England, start in Stage 1A, while the remaining teams play in Stage 1B. Only group winners are guaranteed direct entry into the main draw from Stage 1B, while second-placed teams face a complicated qualification route based on match ratios. Meanwhile, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has extended significant support ahead of the Championships, sanctioning over Rs 90 lakh for preparations and participation. This included a national coaching camp in Bengaluru followed by an overseas training stint in Sheffield. SAI also released a total fund of approximately Rs 60.1 lakh to the Table Tennis Federation of India to ensure the teams' participation.

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