Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee Win Historic Bronze at Asian Table Tennis Championships
In a remarkable achievement, India’s top-ranked women’s doubles pair, Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee, secured a historic bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan. This marks the first-ever medal for India in the women’s doubles category at this prestigious event.
The Mukherjees, ranked 15th in the world, faced a tough challenge against Japan’s 33rd-ranked duo, Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara, in the semifinals. Despite a strong start and a four-point lead in the second game, Ayhika and Sutirtha were defeated 3-0 (4-11, 9-11, 9-11). The Japanese pair, with Miwa being part of Japan’s silver medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics 2024 and Miyuu a three-time World Championships medalist, staged a brilliant comeback.
This achievement adds to the Mukherjees’ impressive record, as they previously made history by winning India’s first-ever bronze in their category at the Asian Games last year. They also became the first Indians to win a World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender women’s doubles title in Tunis.
India concluded the Asian Table Tennis Championships with three bronze medals. The Indian women’s team opened the tally with a historic bronze, the first in the women’s team category since 1972, followed by the men’s team securing another bronze. Overall, India has won eight bronze medals across all Asian Table Tennis Championships.
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Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee -: Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee are Indian table tennis players who play in doubles matches. They have achieved significant success in international competitions.
Asian Table Tennis Championships -: The Asian Table Tennis Championships is a major sports event where players from different Asian countries compete in table tennis. It is held every two years and is an important tournament for table tennis players.
Astana, Kazakhstan -: Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan, a country in Central Asia. It is known for hosting various international events and competitions.
Women’s doubles -: Women’s doubles is a category in table tennis where two female players team up to play against another team of two players. It requires teamwork and coordination.
Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara -: Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara are table tennis players from Japan. They are known for their skills and have competed in international tournaments.
WTT Contender title -: The WTT Contender title is a part of the World Table Tennis series, which includes various competitions for professional table tennis players. Winning this title is a significant achievement.
