India’s Harmeet Desai enjoyed an excellent run and despite putting up a gallant performance went down fighting to Tristan Flore of France in a seven games thriller 3-4 in the penultimate round of the 2017 ITTF Challenge, Zagreb (Crotia) Open, according to information received, here, on Saturday.
Harmeet Desai
The Indian paddler Harmeet who had beaten the Frenchman in the Indian Open early this year, could not repeat the win as he seemed to run out of steam and lost his way conceding a 11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11 defeat. Harmeet who had just broken into the top 100 of the world rankings, had to settle for the bronze medal.
In the previous round, Harmeet pulled off a 4-3 win against Quentin Robinot of France. The Indian played confidently and clinched a deserving 11-8, 10-12, 12-14, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7 in the quarter-final round.
In the pre-quarter-finals, Harmeet defeated Yuto Kizukuri of Japan 4-1 (11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7). However, the second Indian in the fray Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost to Jonathan Groth 1-4 (5-11,11-6,10-12,3-11,8-11).
Results: Men’s singles – Semi-finals: Harmeet Desai (IND) lost to Tristan Flore (FRA) 3-4 (11-6, 10-12, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11).
Quarter-finals: Harmeet Desai (IND) bt Quentin Robinot (FRA) 4-3 (11-8, 10-12, 12-14, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7).
Tristan Flore (FRA) bt Lei Kou (UKR) 4-3 (6-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6, 6-11, 11-3, 11-8).
Pre-quarter-finals: Harmeet Desai (IND) bt Yuto Kizukuri (JPN) 4-1 (11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-7).
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (IND) lost to Jonathan Groth 1-4 (5-11,11-6,10-12,3-11,8-11).