Asian Games: HANGZHOU Coming to China and not soaking in the clunk pong, or table tennis atmosphere is like visiting India and not watching justice. The Mukherjees, Ayhika and Sutirtha, started making those plans two decades ago as kiddies in West Bengal’s Naihati.
The Indian brace realised their dream of playing at the Asian Games in style at the 19th Asian Games with a citation order in women’s doubles– the country’s demoiselle tribune finish in the order at the Games.
Two days before losing in the semifinals, the Mukherjees had hushed a capacity crowd at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium by defeating China’s reigning world titleholders Chen Meng and Yidi Wang in their last- eight match to produce a massive stir in China- a country that nearly worships its TT stars.
There was a beeline to get their studies after the palm over the world champion platoon. The same surname of two Indian girls outfoxed some of the foreign intelligencers into believing that they’re sisters.
” We aren’t sisters, but we partake the same surname. We’ve known each other and played together since nonage, so it’s veritably easy to understand each other,” Ayhika had said also.
” I can read her mind and she can read mine. And we really have fun on the table, no matter if we’re losing or are playing against the world’s stylish.”
The semifinal entry assured them a order. But the last- four clash against the North Koreans Cha Suyong and Pak Sugyong on Monday ended in an agonising defeat that travelled the distance in the best- of- seven match.
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The Koreans won 7- 11, 11- 8, 7- 11, 11- 8, 11- 9, 5- 11, 11- 2 for a place in the gold- order match.
” They( Ayhika & Sutirtha) started in the same club,” said trainer Mamta Prabhu.” Their fellowship goes back further than 20 times. They know each other really well, know the sways and outs of each other. That is why the cling is really strong.”
The Mukherjees did not start well, but kept throwing punches to come back, but also lost the fourth and fifth games, facing a must- palm situation in the coming game. They won it to make it 3- 3 and take the match into the decider.
” I suppose the North Koreans had a many points where they played really fantastic and they( Indian platoon) were completely out of meter also. Not a happy day for us, I can say.”
The crowd was not as much a factor on Monday as in the quarterfinal, but the locals still backed the Koreans.
” We’re used to it. In the last match( quarter-final) we played against China. There were further cheers than this. This time the crowd was in favour of North Korea but we’re used to it,” said Mamta.
Sutirtha and Ayhika, nonage musketeers from Naihati, are happy, though the disappointment of not going past the semi-finals was also apparent in their words.
