World University Games: Indian Shuttlers Beat USA To Book Spot In Quarter-Finals
Indian shuttlers advanced to mixed team quarterfinals at World University Games, defeating USA 3-1.
The young Indian shuttlers overcame a gritty challenge from the United States to advance to the mixed team quarterfinals, while talented tennis player Vaishnavi Adkar secured a place in the pre-quarterfinals at the World University Games in Germany's Rhine-Ruhr region on Saturday.
Taekwondo exponent Anika fought hard before losing her 46kg quarterfinal bout to a South Korean opponent, while fencer Abhinansh Meitei was defeated in the pre-quarterfinal after commendable wins against Qatari and Israeli opponents on the third day of competitions.
The Indian mixed team shuttlers held centre stage by defeating the USA 3-1, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Malaysia later in the day and moving one step closer to securing a medal for the country.
The mixed doubles pair of Sathish Karunakaran and Vaishnavi Khadekar gave India a 1-0 lead by beating Arthur Lee and Katelin Ngo 13-15, 15-3, 15-12.
Saneeth Dayanand, ranked 100th in the world, then overcame Ryan Ma 15-8, 10-15, 15-7 to give India a 2-0 lead. Upcoming women's singles player Devika Sihag put up a fight before losing to Ella Lin 11-15, 20-21, as India led 2-1.
However, the men's doubles pair of Saneeth Dayanand and Sathish Karunakaran closed out the tie with a dominating 15-9, 15-9 win over Andre Chim and Samuel Wales Li.
Taekwondo exponent Anika defeated Germany's Ingrid-Gabriela Busuioc and Helin Rüya Kodaman in the round of 32 and pre-quarterfinals respectively before meeting her match in South Korea's Kim Yunseo in the 46kg quarterfinal.
Armaan Yadav in the 52kg category lost his round-of-32 bout to Kazakhstan's Aziret Duisenbek 0-2, while Payal also couldn't advance in the 57kg category, losing to a Portuguese opponent.
Fencer Abhinash Meitei got past Qatar's Abdalla Khalifa 15-5 in men's individual foil after dominating all three periods in the round of 64. He then overcame Adam Eliaz of Israel 15-9 in the round of 32 before being outsmarted by Poland's Jan Hieromin Nowak 15-8 in the pre-quarters.
Abhinash was in the contest till the second period, which he won 4-6, but Nowak was too good for him in the third period, winning 3-0.
The Indian women's basketball team lost to Argentina 57-86 and will face Finland in the last Group A match on Sunday, with no chances of making it to the knockouts.
The Indian women's table tennis team lost their quarterfinal match to Chinese Taipei 0-3, thus ending their run in the competition.
Pritha Vartikar lost to Cheng Pusyuan 9-11, 5-11, 13-11, 4-11, while Sayali Wani was overpowered by Chien Tung-chuan 11-4, 3-11, 11-9, 6-11, 5-11 in a match of swinging fortunes. Suhana Saini was then beaten by Huang Yu-jie 6-11, 8-11, 8-11.
In individual competition, Suhana defeated Azerbaijan's Nigar Mahmudova 11-3, 11-5, 11-8 in Group 4. Taneesha Kotecha overcame Mariam El Habech of Lebanon 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 in Group 2, and Pritha Vartikar defeated USA's Emily Tan 7-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 in Group 16.
India finished last in the 4×100 medley, clocking 4:12.70 seconds.
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
18 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Super League Kerala signs five-year Rs 100-crore streaming rights deal with Sports.com
a part of the USA-based SEGG Media Group, has signed a five-year global partnership with Super League Kerala that could increase the football league's viewership in a big way. 'This is a Rs 100-crore deal and the contract is for five years. The global live streaming rights are now with Mathew Joseph, the CEO of the Super League Kerala (SLK), told Sportstar on Monday. 'This is also first entry into India; it will become the exclusive OTT platform for the SLK, and it will be free of cost. That is what we are more interested in,' he added. Joseph revealed that the deal, signed in Dubai, will also help build more content around the SLK, which attracted nearly 13 million viewers for its debut season last year. ALSO READ | VP Suhair set to join Jamshedpur FC ahead of Durand Cup 'They will also help us with content creation around the SLK which they have done globally for many sports…behind the scenes, they create a lot of interesting documentaries,' said Joseph. 'This deal represents a huge leap forward for the SLK. It allows us to amplify our reach across continents while delivering world-class fan engagement and streaming experiences to millions who love Kerala football,' said Firoz Meeran, Director, SLK. 'This is more than a sports rights deal. To enter the Indian market through Kerala, a State with an electrifying football culture and millions of global fans, gives us a high-growth, cash-yielding product to launch the app with force,' Firoz added. Related Topics Super League Kerala
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Explained: Why the rainbow armband is dividing opinions at Women's Euro 2025
The rainbow armband at Women's Euro 2025 is sparking debate, with some teams proudly wearing it to support LGBTQ+ rights while others opt for UEFA's 'Respect' armband, citing broader inclusion. The controversy echoes similar debates from the 2022 Qatar World Cup. read more The rainbow armband, which is meant to show support for LGBTQ+ rights and diversity, is creating mixed reactions at the ongoing Women's Euro 2025 in Switzerland. It is dividing opinions among players and fans despite being a symbol of inclusion. Some captains like Switzerland's Lia Walti, Norway's Ada Hegerberg, England's Leah Williamson, and Wales' Angharad James have proudly worn the rainbow armband. Even England defender Lucy Bronze added a rainbow wristband during their quarterfinal win against Sweden. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also Read: Why is rainbow armband dividing opinions? But not everyone is wearing it. Spain's Irene Paredes chose not to wear the colourful band, and France's captain Griedge Mbock Bathy wore a plain armband with the word 'Respect' instead. UEFA has given teams a choice between the rainbow armband and the 'Respect' version. France explained their decision, saying the rainbow armband focuses too much on just one issue, whereas the Respect band is of wider range. 'Highlighting a single issue also potentially excludes the others. We cannot champion a single cause through our diverse group because there are so many causes to defend,' Mbock said. More from Football 'Our team is so diverse that we cannot highlight just one cause. I think that the armband with the word 'respect' really represents what we want to convey as a message and that is the most important thing,' she added. Out of 16 teams in the tournament, nine have worn the rainbow armband. 'Standard yellow and blue armbands are provided to all teams and rainbow armbands are available upon request,' UEFA told Associated Press. This means that the teams who chose to wear the rainbow armband made an intentional decision. Also Read: This debate is not new. A similar controversy happened during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where FIFA banned the rainbow 'One Love' armband. German players famously covered their mouths in the team photo after their first match to protest the ban, saying they were being silenced. FIFA banned the armband because same sex relationships are not legal in Qatar. Qatari fans later responded with their own protest by holding pictures of Mesut Ozil, referencing racism he faced in Germany. Germany was a big supporter of rainbow armbands but later some voices, like coach Julian Nagelsmann, asked for fewer political statements in football because they distract from the game.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
18 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Mohd Siraj reveals mindset in Lord's thriller: 'I won't get out here'
Mohammed Siraj has been a vital part of the Indian cricket team, always giving his 100% for the side day in and day out, no matter the result. The pacer has not only been valuable with his lethal deliveries but has also served as a morale-booster for the entire team whenever the atmosphere called for lifting spirits. Whether it's his aggression on the pitch while attacking batters from different nations, or his emotional involvement in the game, Siraj's commitment has consistently stood out. His sentimental side was on display when he stepped up to contribute with the bat. He was one of the last batters remaining on the final day at Lord's against England, alongside Ravindra Jadeja, whose heroics had taken the match to the final session and the final wicket. However, Siraj was dismissed in the most unfortunate manner, after middling the ball, it bounced back onto the stumps, handing England a narrow 22-run win. "I was thinking that I wouldn't get out on the final day, but even after middling the ball, I eventually lost my wicket, which was very heartbreaking to experience given that the match depended on that wicket and how close the result was to tipping in either side's favour." he said. "I'm an emotional person and it took time to move on from the dismissal. However, then I though to my self that the series is not over and we still can come back from the tie which is giving me a boost for the future." he further added. Siraj on workload management Siraj also emphasized that he doesn't worry much about workload and just wants to give his all whenever the team needs him. "God has been kind to keep me fit to play for my country most of the time, and I don't really think much about the workload. I just feel that if I'm given an opportunity to play for the country, I have to give it my all so that when I go to sleep at night, I don't have any regrets in my mind," he said. Siraj shares laughs with Manchester United's Maguire While Siraj is usually laser-focused when on duty for Team India, he showed a lighter side when the squad visited Manchester United's Carrington training ground to meet the club's players. A Cristiano Ronaldo fan, Siraj was even seen doing the Portuguese star's iconic celebration. He also shared a few laughs playing cricket with United defender Harry Maguire.
