World Table Tennis Team Championships: Indian women's team secures first win after defeating Hungary

The Indian women's table tennis team clinched a remarkable victory on Sunday at the World Table Tennis Team Championships in Busan, South Korea, marking their first win in the tournament.

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Led by the spirited performance of Manika Batra, the team secured a hard-fought 3-2 win against Hungary in their second group stage tie of the World Table Tennis Team Championships.

Despite a tough start with a 2-3 loss against China in their opening tie, the Indian women's team showcased resilience and determination against Hungary. In a thrilling encounter, Manika Batra set the tone by winning her match against Dora Madarasz with a scoreline of 8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 11-4. However, the Hungarian team fought back, and Sreeja Akula lost a closely contested match against Pota Georgina.

Ayhika Mukherjee's victory over Balint Bernadett propelled India to a 2-1 lead, but Hungary managed to force a decider as Sreeja lost her second match against Dora. In the decisive rubber, Manika Batra delivered a stellar performance, defeating Pota 11-5, 14-12, 13-11, securing the crucial win for India.

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The Indian men's team, however faced a setback as they suffered a 1-3 defeat against Poland in their second group-stage tie of the World Table Tennis Team Championships. Despite a strong start with a 3-0 victory over Chile in their opening match, the men's team couldn't carry forward the momentum.

Achanta Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar fought hard, but Poland's resilience proved too much to handle. Poland clinched the tie 3-1, with Harmeet Desai's valiant effort being the only victory for India.

In their upcoming fixtures, the Indian women's team will take on Uzbekistan in their third group stage tie on Monday at 9:30 AM IST. On the other hand, the men's team will face a formidable challenge against South Korea at 6:30 AM IST. The Indian contingent remains hopeful and determined to bounce back stronger in the remainder of the World Table Tennis Team Championships, aiming for more stellar performances and victories.