Indian men's TT team assured of historic medal

Jakarta : The Indian men's table tennis team edged past Japan 3-1 in the quarter-final to assure itself of a historic first medal at the 18th Asian Games here on Monday.

G. Sathiyan won two matches while veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal won one as they ousted Japan, the last editon's bronze medallist.

World No.39 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran beat World No. 19 Kenta Matsudaira 3-1 (12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4) in the fourth match to secure a passage in the semi-finals and assure India of at least a bronze medal.

It was Sathiyan who gave India a good start, beating Jin Ueda.

Sharath Kamal then defeated Kenta Matsudaira 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 to take a 2-0 lead.

Japan then stretched India to the fourth match after Masaki Yoshida beat Harmeet Desai 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4.