Indian men displayed a remarkable comeback to defeat Slovakia 3–2 in an intense Group 7 clash at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships in London. This victory propelled India to the top of Group 7, setting the stage for their upcoming match against Guatemala.
The match witnessed a seesaw battle, with Slovakia initially taking the lead as Lubomir Pistej, ranked 149, outplayed Manush Shah, ranked No. 51, in a closely contested five-game opener. However, India swiftly responded as Manav Thakkar, ranked 42, dominated Jakub Zelinka in straight games, leveling the score at 1-1.
Despite Slovakia gaining an advantage in the third rubber with Wang Yang’s impressive performance against Harmeet Desai, India staged a remarkable turnaround when Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah secured crucial wins in the last two rubbers. Manav’s emphatic victory over Lubomir and Manush’s composed display against Jakub sealed the 3-2 triumph for India.
In another thrilling encounter, the Indian women’s team also emerged victorious against Ukraine in a closely fought 3–2 match, enhancing their chances of qualifying and positioning themselves favorably in Group 6. Both the men’s and women’s teams are set to play their final group matches against Rwanda, scheduled to commence at 10 PM (IST) tonight.
