World Junior TT: Manika Batra, Rohit Rajasekhar make main draw

Hyderabad - Manika Batra and Rohit Rajasekhar qualified for the singles main draw at the Volkswagen 2012 World Junior Table Tennis Championships here Thursday.

With two paddlers from each group qualifying for the main draw, more Indians making the cut are very much in the realm of possibility.

Arjun Ghosh, who is also in the hunt, and Rajasekhar brought a lot of cheer on an otherwise lengthy and dreary day at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Taking advantage of their fifth and six entries as hosts, they made most of the opportunity that was provided to them.

Making their maiden appearances on the international scene, Ghosh and Rajasekhar delighted the home supporters, surprising their experienced opponents. What was striking about them was the way the duo displayed their skilful feat, toppling the more experienced Czechs.

Ghosh downed Michal Benes 15-13, 11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 16-14 to keep the Indian interest alive but what stood out the most was Rohit’s class act. The match against Jakub Seibert kept the spectators glued to their seats as Rohit won by the thinnest of margins. Down 1-3, Rohit staged an excellent recovery to stun his opponent with a 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-9, 14-12, 11-9 win.

In the girls singles, Manika had an easy meat in Yousra Helmy of Egypt, winning 14-12, 11-5, 12-10, 11-4. The Indian got a walkover from Lucia Truksova of Slovakia to move into the main draw.

The other qualifiers among boys are Chiu Chung Hei (Hkg), Choi Deo Khwa (Kor), Jang Woo Jin (Kor), Xu Chenhao (Chn), Jakub Dyjas (Pol), Leonardu Mutti (Ita), Frederik Jost (Ger), Konrad Kulpa (Pol), David Reitspies (Cze), Clerence Chew Zhe Yu (Sin), Tamas Lakatos (Hun), Kim Min Hyeok (Kor), Marc Rode (Ger), Hung Ka Tak (Hkg), Lim Jong Hoon (Kor), Liao Cheng-Ting (Tpe), Ondrej Bajger (Cze), Luka Fucec (Cro), Omar Bedair (Egy) and Adam Szudi (Hun).

The girls who advanced are Britt Eeerland (Ned), Lee Ching Wan (Hkg), Miyu Kato (Jpn), Nina Mittelham (Ger), Yumi Jung (Kor), Bernadett Balint (Rou), Lea Rakovac (Cro), Lee Dasom (Kor), Theresa Kraft (Ger), Marina Berho (Fra), Alina Arlouskaya (Blr), Sandra Wabik (Pol), Minnie Soo Wai Yam (Hkg), Katsiary Baravok (Blr), Laura Pfefer (Fra), Lam Yee Lok (Hkg), Chiu Ssu-Hua (Tpe), Yousra Helmy (Egy) and Carelyn Cordero (Pur).

Results: (Only Indians):

Group 2: Li Ching Wan (Hkg) bt Ayhika Mukerjee 12-10, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6; Group 3: Miyu Kato (jpn) bt T. Reeth Rishya 11-6, 1-13, 11-6, 11-7; Group 5: Yumi Jung (Kor) bt Suthirtha Mukherjee 11-8, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 12-10; Group 6: Bernadett Balint (Rou) bt Mallika Bhandarkar 4-11, 10-12, 11-3, 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8; Group 8: Dasom Lee (Kor) bt Karnam Spoorthy 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7; Group 13: Manika Batra bt Yousra Helmy (Egy) 14-12, 11-5, 12-10, 11-4, Manika Batra got a walkover from Lucia Truksova of Slovakia.

Group2: Choi Deo Khwa (Kor) bt Utkarsh Gupta 11-6, 11-2, 11-8, 11-9; Group 4: Xu Chenhao (Chn) bt Abhishek Yadav 11-2, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6; Group 7: Frederic Jost (Ger) bt Sudhanshu Grover 11-1, 11-5, 10-12, 13-11, 10-12, 14-12 11-3; Group 16: Lim Jong Hoon (Kor) bt Sabhay Virmani 11-4, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4; Group 22: Arjun Ghosh bt Michal Benes (Cze) 15-13, 15-6, 15-8, 4-11, 16-14; Group 23: Rohit Rajasekhar bt Jakub Seibert (Cze) 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 10-12, 11-9, 14-12, 11-9.