Jakarta: The Indian women table tennis players made a positive start to their campaign at the 18th Asian Games by reaching the quarterfinals of the team event here.
The Indian team comprising Mouma Das, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutritha Mukherjee defeated Qatar 3-0 in the first match but lost to China 0-3 in the second tie.
The Indians, however, outplayed Iran 3-1 in their next match to join China in the last eight round. In the first tie against Qatar, Mouma Das gave India a 1-0 lead after registering a comfortable 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 win over Maha Ali before Ayhika extended the lead 2-0.
Ayhika beat Aia Mohamed 11-2, 12-10, 11-2, 11-3. Sutirtha then made it 3-0 for India after beating Maha Faramarzi 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 to pocket the first tie.
In the second tie, the Indians were no match for the Chinese, losing 0-3 before bouncing back by beating Iran to enter the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the India men’s team, comprising G Sathiyan, Achanta Sharath Kamal and Harmeet Desai, won their first match 3-0 against UAE.