Guyanese table tennis sensation, Shemar Britton, bowed out of the International Table Tennis Federation’s Ecuador Open yesterday in the round of 16.
Britton went down 1-4 to sixth seeded and 446th-ranked Manush Utpalbhai Shah of India. Britton, 23, bounced back in the fourth set to win 11-7 after losing the first three sets 7-11, 13-15 and 5-11. In the final set he lost 5-11 to the 20-year-old Shah.
Earlier in the tournament, Britton won convincingly over Peru’s Rodrigo Ali Vigo Izaguirre 4-2. Britton drew first blood, winning the opening set, 11-9 but lost the second round 9-11. He then won the next two sets, 11-8, 11-6 before going down 7-11 in the fourth set. Britton then held his nerve to win 11-8 in the fifth set,
In addition, the former Caribbean under-21 champion recovered from a first-set loss to Ecuador’s Paul Ignacio Ponce 6-11, to win four straight sets and the round 11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6.
“I have no real expectations I just want to play my best and go as far as possible. It is my first tournament in about 18 months because of the pandemic. I just come to play my best. The altitude here in Ecuador is pretty high so it is very hard to breathe and play. Coming from Guyana we play at sea level, so I am adjusting,” he stated.
