Asian Games 2026: India Defeat Singapore 3-2 in Thrilling Women’s Table Tennis Comeback

India produced a dramatic comeback in the women’s team table tennis event at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Singapore 3-2 in a Group F thriller that went down to the final match and final set.

India had found themselves trailing 1-2 after the opening three ties, but Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade held their nerve under pressure to win the final two matches and complete a memorable victory.

Yashaswini emerged as the standout performer for India, winning both of her matches, including a crucial 3-1 victory over Singapore’s world No. 47 Zeng Jian. Sreeja also defeated Zeng 3-1 in the fourth tie to bring India level before Yashaswini delivered in the deciding match.

The victory comes after India had begun its Asian Games campaign with a commanding 3-0 win over Indonesia.

India’s tie against Singapore could hardly have been more competitive. Yashaswini got India off to a strong start by winning her opening match 3-1. Her victory gave India an early advantage, but Singapore fought back immediately as Sreeja Akula went down 2-3 in the second match. The momentum shifted further towards Singapore in the third tie when Diya Chitale lost 1-3, leaving India trailing 1-2 and facing elimination from the tie unless they could win both remaining matches.

That was when Sreeja stepped up.

The Indian paddler returned to the table for the fourth match and produced an important 3-1 victory over Zeng Jian, the Singaporean ranked 47th in the world. The win not only avenged the pressure of her earlier defeat but also levelled the overall tie at 2-2. With everything now resting on the fifth and final match, Yashaswini was given the responsibility of closing out the contest.

The deciding match developed into a tense battle, with neither player able to establish complete control. Yashaswini eventually prevailed 3-2, sealing India's 3-2 team victory and completing a two-win performance on the day. The final match featured several momentum swings, but the decisive moment came in the third game. Yashaswini was trailing 4-9 and appeared to be under significant pressure. She then produced a remarkable six-point streak to turn the game around.

From 4-9 down, the Indian fought back to take the lead and eventually won the game 12-10. That recovery proved crucial in a match that went the distance. The final scoreline of the deciding match was 11-5, 8-11, 10-12, 11-4, with Yashaswini completing the comeback. India's ability to stay composed after falling 1-2 behind ultimately made the difference.

Strong opening against Indonesia

The Singapore victory followed an impressive start to India's Group F campaign.

India opened the women's team event with a 3-0 victory over Indonesia, producing a clean sweep across all three matches. Sreeja Akula defeated Ni Maharani 3-1, winning 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4. Diya Chitale then extended India's advantage with a 3-0 victory over Almaira Nebuchadnezzar, winning 11-9, 11-8, 11-5. Yashaswini completed the clean sweep against Citra Rasmi with another 3-0 victory. She won the contest 12-10, 11-4, 11-4.

The result gave India an ideal start to their Asian Games campaign before the significantly tougher Singapore tie.

India will now turn their attention to their final Group F tie against Pakistan. The victory over Singapore provides India with important momentum heading into that contest, particularly after the team demonstrated its ability to recover from a difficult position. The performances of Yashaswini and Sreeja will also be encouraging for the Indian camp. Yashaswini remained unbeaten against Singapore, while Sreeja produced a crucial response after losing her opening tie.

With the women’s team event moving towards the knockout stages, India will look to carry the confidence from two consecutive group-stage victories into their final fixture. The 3-2 triumph over Singapore will stand out as one of the more dramatic results of India’s Asian Games table tennis campaign so far, particularly because of the manner in which the team recovered from 1-2 down.