India's Quimcy Dsouza suffered a three-game semifinal defeat against Indonesia's Sumaya in the women's singles teqball event at the Asian Games in Nagoya, but remains in contention for a bronze medal.
India's Quimcy Dsouza narrowly missed out on a spot in the Asian Games women's singles teqball final after falling to Indonesia's Sumaya in a gruelling three-game semifinal in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The 24-year-old from Mumbai made a commanding start to the contest, claiming the opening game 12-7 by utilizing sliding serves and sharp diagonal smashes. However, Sumaya leveraged her sepak takraw muscle memory to turn the match around, claiming the next two games 9-12, 12-7.
Quimcy appeared to regain control in the deciding game, racing to a 3-0 lead and maintaining a 6-3 advantage at the change of ends. Sumaya then staged a decisive comeback, reeling off nine consecutive points as errors crept into the Indian's game.
“Yes, she had an advantage because of her sepak takraw background, but it was a good game where the better player won,” a tearful Quimcy stated following the defeat.
Despite the loss, Quimcy can still secure a historic podium finish for India in the bronze-medal playoff. Teqball, a fast-paced blend of football and table tennis played on a curved table with a size-5 football, is making its debut at the Asian Games.
Quimcy, a former state-level footballer and 1,500m runner who currently works as a test engineer at Decathlon in Bengaluru, picked up teqball just four years ago after seeing Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho showcase the sport on Instagram. Operating without a coach or financial support, she successfully established herself on the Asian stage to reach the quadrennial event.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.