Manika Batra, Sathiyan lose mixed doubles, Indian challenge ends at World Table Tennis Championships

The mixed doubles pair of Manika Batra and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran suffered a defeat in the quarter-finals of the ongoing World Table Tennis Championships in Houston, USA.

Later, Manika Batra and Archana Girish Kamath also bit the dust when they were ousted in the women's doubles quarter-finals.

With the double loss, the Indian challenge at the World Table Tennis Championships came to an end.

Read: World Table Tennis Championships: Heartbreak for Sathiyan as he loses thriller against Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna

It was the first time the Indian challenge came close to winning a medal at the World Table Tennis Championships. A win would have ensured India a medal, but that wasn't the case.

Manika Batra and Sathiyan lost to Japan's Omokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata 1-3. The Japanese duo defeated the Indian pair 11-5, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9.

After receiving a drubbing in the first two games, Manika Batra and Sathiyan pulled one back by clinching the third game. Sathiyan and Manika Batra did well with precision serving and forcing an attacking game.

Manika Batra and Sathiyan lose the plot

The fourth game was evenly placed with both pairs matching shot-to-shot. They were on level terms until they reached six points apiece but from there, the Japanese pair increased their intensity.

Harimoto and Hayata raced to a 9-6 lead in quick time. However, Manika Batra and Sathiyan did well to take two points on the trot to reduce the lead to 8-9. However, a time out by the Japanese pair worked in their favor as they came back stronger to win the contest by winning the fourth game 11-9.

Heartbreak for India in women's doubles

Later, Manika Batra and Archana Girish Kamath's run in the World Table Tennis Championships when they were ousted in the women's doubles quarter-finals. The pair was defeated by Sarah De Nutte and Xia Lian Ni of Luxembourg 0-3 (1-11, 6-11, 8-11).

The Indian pair were off to a horrid start as the Luxembourg duo raced to a 1-11 win in their first game. Even before Manika Batra and Archana Kamath could decipher Nutte and Ni's game, they were off with the lead.

Manika Batra and Archana couldn't offer much resistance in the second and third games either as they came a cropper against a superior pair.