For the Indian table tennis fraternity, ITTF World Tours have never been easy. But things were very different this time in Olomouc, a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic.
Mouma Das and Manika Batra, the new women's doubles pair of India, lifted their game by several notches to reach the semi-finals for the first time at an ITTF World Tour (Major).
Manika Batra leading from the front showcased her vintage form yet again as India got the better of top seeds Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato in the pre-quarterfinal. India pinned their hopes on the most experienced Mouma Das who continued to prove that she is the country's numero uno star in the discipline. Das along with the 21-year-old Batra put up a fantastic show in the Round of 8 to get the better of Germany's Chantal Mantz and Yuan Wan.
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Batra and Das made a positive start in the semi-final against Polina Mikhailova and Maria Dolgikh, taking the first set 11-8. However, the Russia duo came back strongly in the match to win the next three sets, thus ensuring their passage in the finals.
Polina and Maria will be facing Sweden's Matilda Ekholm and Georgina Pota of Hungary in the finals.The women's doubles final will feature all four competitors from Europe, subsequently guaranteeing that Asian competitors won't take all of the Czech Open titles home.
This was Manika and Mouma's second competition together. Last week, they reached the quarter-finals of the Bulgaria Open as well.
