Manav Thakkar put up a spirited fight against Japanese World No. 4 Harimoto Tomokazu before going down in the Round-of-64 while compatriot Manika Batra was knocked out by South Korea’s Park Gahyeon in the World Table Tennis Championships here on Tuesday.

Thakkar, ranked 48th, matched his Japanese opponent stroke for stroke in the third and fifth game, but succumbed 11-13, 3-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 3-11. Thakkar though can take pride in his performance, having outlasted Harimoto in a number of long rallies.