Asian Games: A historic table tennis bronze that was 20 years in the making

Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee's giant-slaying run ended with a historic bronze medal at the Asian Games after the Indian duo lost the closely-fought women's doubles semifinal 3-4 to North Korea in Hangzhou on Monday.

Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee (AFP Photo)

HANGZHOU: Coming to China and not soaking in the ping pong, or table tennis atmosphere is like visiting India and not watching cricket. The Mukherjees, Ayhika and Sutirtha, started making those plans two decades ago as kids in West Bengal's Naihati.

The Indian pair realised their dream of playing at the Asian Games in style at the 19th Asian Games with a bronze medal in women's doubles the country's maiden podium finish in the category at the Games.

SMASHING IN STYLE: THE MUKHERJEE SISTERS🏓

🇮🇳's Table Tennis phenomenal duo, Ahyika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee script history at #AsianGames2022 by clinching the BRONZE MEDAL 🏓🥉 in the women's doubles event! 🙌💫

They've broken the barrier in style, getting India's… pic.twitter.com/FDVUgnD06p

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) October 2, 2023

Two days before losing in the semifinals, the Mukherjees had hushed a capacity crowd at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium by defeating China's reigning world champions Chen Meng and Yidi Wang in their last-eight match to create a massive stir in China - a country that virtually worships its TT stars.

There was a beeline to get their thoughts after the win over the world champion team. The same surname of two Indian girls foxed some of the foreign journalists into believing that they are sisters.

"We are not sisters, but we share the same surname. We have known each other and played together since childhood, so it is very easy to understand each other," Ayhika had said then.

"I can read her mind and she can read mine. And we really have fun on the table, no matter if we are losing or are playing against the world's best."

The semifinal entry assured them a medal. But the last-four clash against the North Koreans Cha Suyong and Pak Sugyong on Monday ended in an agonising defeat that travelled the distance in the best-of-seven match.

The Koreans won 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2 for a place in the gold-medal match.

"They (Ayhika & Sutirtha) started in the same club," said coach Mamta Prabhu.

"Their friendship goes back more than 20 years. They know each other really well, know the ins and outs of each other. That's why the bonding is really strong."

The Mukherjees didn't start well, but kept throwing punches to come back, but then lost the fourth and fifth games, facing a must-win situation in the next game. They won it to make it 3-3 and take the match into the decider.

"I think the North Koreans had a few points where they played really fantastic and they (Indian team) were totally out of rhythm then. Not a happy day for us, I can say."

The crowd wasn't as much a factor on Monday as in the quarterfinal, but the locals still backed the Koreans.

"We are used to it. In the last match (quarter-final) we played against China. There were more cheers than this. This time the crowd was in favour of North Korea but we are used to it," said Mamta.

Sutirtha and Ayhika, childhood friends from Naihati, are happy, though the disappointment of not going past the semi-finals was also evident in their words.