Chetan Baboor in last eight

Sydney Olympian and third seed Chetan Baboor entered the quarter-finals of the 15th Asian Table Tennis championships late on Friday night.

Baboor, who had conquered Korea's Kim Joo Sang 21-17, 21-9 in the morning, consumed higly rated China's Hao Shuai in a hardfought match in the evening, after losing the game, 20-22, 21-14, 21-17.

Baboor, the only Indian among five others on show with a realistic chance for the title, trailed in the first game but levelled at 20-20. Then he got an edge ball against him and also while trying to force the rival on the defensive hit his elbow on the ball to lose out narrowly.

In the second game, the Chinese returned the favour while serving many balls into the net, including the final point.

Baboor was in full control in the third game. He built up a 14-7 lead only to relax a bit before romping home with three points to spare.

Whatever the result of his last match -- against Japan's Y Toshinori, who lost his first match -- Baboor is assured of a place in the quarter-final.

On the adjoining table, in the women's section, eight seeded Paulomi Ghatak had her cup of misery full when she was knocked of the tournament. She had lost her first match to Japan's Abe Ayumi in straight games at 11-21, 19-21, and was then thrashed by Korean Kim Kyung Ha 12-21, 10-21.

Seventh seed Mouma Das, the other Indian woman in the fray, lost her second match to Tang Yuan 12-21, 21-14, 13-21.

Mouma, who had got the better off Taipei's Pan Li-Chun in the morning at 21-16, 14-21, 21-17, will now have to win her third match against Singapore's Zhang Xueling if she has any chances of advancing to the next round.

Earlier report