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India's flag-bearer at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony, Sharath Kamal, will compete in his record fifth Olympic Games, facing Slovenia's Deni Kozul in the first round of the men's singles table tennis event on July 28.
At 42, Kamal remains a formidable presence. This year, he displayed outstanding form at the Singapore Smash 2024, reaching the quarterfinals by defeating World No. 13 Darko Jorgic.
His performance propelled him 54 places up the ITTF World Rankings to the 34th spot. Additionally, Kamal led India to a historic bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Table Tennis Championships, further cementing his legacy.
Kozul, 26, ranked 126th in the ITTF World Rankings, is making his second Olympic appearance after Tokyo 2021, where he competed in both men's singles and doubles but was eliminated in the first round by South Korean players.
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Kozul faced Kamal at the WTT Feeder Budapest in July 2022, where Kamal won convincingly 4-1 (8-11, 11-1, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9). The Slovenian will aim to improve his performance against the experienced Indian paddler.
Sharath Kamal vs Deni Kozul Match Details
Match Details: Sharath Kamal vs Deni Kozul, Round of 64, Paris Olympics 2024
Date and Time: Sunday, July 28, 2024, 2:45 PM
Venue: South Paris Arena 4
Sharath Kamal vs Deni Kozul Prediction
Kamal who is set to make his fifth appearance at the Olympics is coming off some stellar performances and is expected to win the game. While Kozul can spring up some surprise, but given Kamal's experience at the Olympic stage we can very back the veteran Indian to make his way into the next round of the tournament.
When and where to watch the game
The encounter will be telecasted live in India on Sports 18 channels and the live streaming will be available on Jio Cinema. The game will start at 2.45 PM IST.
