![\"images\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/images.jpg\")
Nanjing: Abhishek Yadav fought valiantly against world No. 1 and top-seeded Chinese Zhendong Fan before bowing out 2-4 (4-11, 13-11, 13-11, 4-11, 8-11, 7-11) in the semi-final of men\u2019s singles event at the second Asian Youth Games here tonight. But with no play-offs, the Indian ensured himself a bronze medal on his maiden appearance at the Games.<\/p>\n
Incidentally, he booked his place in the Youth Olympics Games to be held here next year as the top eight players make it to the Games automatically.<\/p>\n
Yadav, despite losing the first game, came back strongly in the second and third to lead 2-1. But in the fifth game, Yadav ran the top-seed Chinese close with his courageous forehand and backhand topspin as he reduced the margin from 4-9 to 8-9 when the Chinese took timeout. What a nice strategy it turned out to be as the world junior champion never looked back after that.\n<\/p>\n
The Indian, despite losing the semi-final, was lauded by the appreciating crowd for giving a hard time to the home boy. \u201cI am happy with my overall performance. But the Chinese was too good a player,\u201d said Yadav, giving full credit to his rival.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are happy that Abhishek gave a good fight before going down to the junior world champion,\u201d said team manager Jayesh Acharya. \u201cEven out girl Suthirtha Mukherjee did well up to the pre-quarters. We will return home tomorrow with something to show from our boy,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n
Marathon game<\/strong><\/p>\n In the morning, Yadav played a marathon fifth game to defeat Malaysia\u2019s Dunley Foo in the quarterfinals, which practically ensured the Indian at least a bronze medal at the ongoing second Asian Youth Games here this morning.<\/p>\n The Indian disposed of Foo 4-1 (11-6, 11-5, 15-13, 5-11, 18-16) in 41 minutes, which included two games that stretched every sinew of the left-handed Yadav and tested his patience to no end. Yadav had the measure of his rival in the first two games, but in the third from 9-7 allowed the Malaysian come back but the Indian teenager put up a great fight to take the game at 15-13, the battle lasting full 10 minutes.<\/p>\n Though the Malaysian took the fourth game to keep his chances alive, the Indian, leading 6-4, allowed Foo some leeway and he surged ahead to 10-8. But Yadav managed to keep his opponent on check to level the score at 16-16. At this point, Yadav held his serve and returned well to go up 17-16 before cashing in on Foo\u2019s mistake to break his service to take the game and match in 12 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Incidentally, he booked his place in the Youth Olympics Games to be held here next year as the top eight players make it to the Games automatically.<\/p>\n Yadav, despite losing the first game, came back strongly in the second and third to lead 2-1. But in the fifth game, Yadav ran the top-seed Chinese close with his courageous forehand and backhand topspin as he reduced the margin from 4-9 to 8-9 when the Chinese took timeout. What a nice strategy it turned out to be as the world junior champion never looked back after that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-more-sports-more-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nNanjing: Abhishek Yadav fought valiantly against world No. 1 and top-seeded Chinese Zhendong Fan before bowing out 2-4 (4-11, 13-11, 13-11, 4-11, 8-11, 7-11) in the semi-final of men\u2019s singles event at the second Asian Youth Games here tonight. But with no play-offs, the Indian ensured himself a bronze medal on his maiden appearance at the Games.<\/p>\n