Table Tennis: Manav assures bronze in Belarus Open

Indian paddler Manav Vikash Thakkar scored an easy 3-0 win over Russia's Lev Katsman to enter the semifinals and assure himself of at least a bronze in under-21 men's singles category at the ITTF Challenge Belgosstrakh Belarus Open here on Friday.

Manav notched up a 3-0 (11-5 11-7 15-13) win over Katsman in the U-21 men's singles quarterfinals.

He had earlier displayed his prowess, registering a hard-fought 3-2 (9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9) win against World No. 8 Yuki Matsuyama of Japan in the round of 16 of here.

Manav started off his campaign with an easy 3-0 (11-6, 11-2, 11-8) win over Russia's Maksim Grebnev. In the next clash, Israel's Aviv Ben-Ari put up a staunch fight but capitulated to the Indian as Manav won the game 3-1 (12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7).

In the men's singles event, Manav had breezed past Japan's Kohei Sambe 4-2 on Thursday to progress into the round of 32.

Manav didn't have the best of starts as he went down 6-11 in the first game but bounced back to win the next