Manika-Archana pair settles for bronze in WTT Star Contender

Manika Batra and Archana Kamath signed off with a bronze medal after losing the women's doubles semifinals to Li Yu-Jhun and Cheng I-Ching at the WTT Star Contender Doha 2022 on Wednesday. The higher-ranked Indian duo failed to reproduce the form they showed on Tuesday and lost to Li and Cheng 8-11, 6-11, 7-11.

Both Manika and Archana, ranked 6th, did well in the first game to stretch the Chinese Taipei duo a little longer, but once the latter had the measure of the Indians, they combined splendidly to shut them out in the second and third game without much ado. Both G Sathiyan and Manika also lost their respective singles in the pre-quarterfinals to end India's campaign in the Star Contender events.

Sathiyan lost to Kristian Karlsson of Sweden 11-5, 8-11, 7-11, 4-11 in the men's singles pre-quarterfinals. Sathiyan began on a confident note but he could not match up with the Swede who was nimble-footed and attacked with pace.

Manika, too, lost her women's singles pre-quarters to Ying Han of Germany meekly. The 48-ranked Indian was no match for the 17-ranked player of Chinese origin, who won 11-5, 11-2, 11-4.