<p>Indian challenge in the compound men's open archery ended after fancied Rakesh Kumar lost to former world champion Xinliang Ai of China in a tight quarterfinal battle at the Paralympic Games here on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The third-seeded Rakesh, who had shot the best Indian qualifying score of 699 out of a possible 720 in the ranking round, found the going tough against the 2016 Olympics mixed open champion to lose by two points (143-145) at the Yumenoshima Park here.</p>.<p>The Chinese 24-year-old, who is the reigning Asian Games champion, made a strong start shooting a perfect 30 while Rakesh scored 29 to trail by just one point.</p>.<p>Xinliang extended the lead by two points in the second end before the Indian 36-year-old reduced the deficit by one point at halfway mark.</p>.<p>A perfect round eluded Rakesh in the last two ends as the Chinese maintained his supremacy to seal a last-four berth.</p>.<p>In the pre-quarterfinals, Rakesh bounced back from behind to oust Marian Marecak, a two-time 49-year-old Olympian from Slovakia.</p>.<p>Two 8s in the first two ends saw the Indian trail by three points as he slowly stepped up before a perfect fourth end -- three 10s including two Xs (closest to the centre) -- took him past the Slovak 111-108.</p>.<p>Both shot an identical 29-all in the final end which was enough for Rakesh to make the last-eight.</p>.<p>In their second Paralympic appearance, India will now look up to Vivek Chikara and Harvinder Singh who will open their campaign in the recurve men's open on Friday.</p>.<p>2019 Asian Para Championship winner Vivek Chikara finished in top-10 shooting 609 points, ahead of 2018 Para Asian Games champion Harvinder Singh who qualified as 21st seed.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>Indian challenge in the compound men's open archery ended after fancied Rakesh Kumar lost to former world champion Xinliang Ai of China in a tight quarterfinal battle at the Paralympic Games here on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The third-seeded Rakesh, who had shot the best Indian qualifying score of 699 out of a possible 720 in the ranking round, found the going tough against the 2016 Olympics mixed open champion to lose by two points (143-145) at the Yumenoshima Park here.</p>.<p>The Chinese 24-year-old, who is the reigning Asian Games champion, made a strong start shooting a perfect 30 while Rakesh scored 29 to trail by just one point.</p>.<p>Xinliang extended the lead by two points in the second end before the Indian 36-year-old reduced the deficit by one point at halfway mark.</p>.<p>A perfect round eluded Rakesh in the last two ends as the Chinese maintained his supremacy to seal a last-four berth.</p>.<p>In the pre-quarterfinals, Rakesh bounced back from behind to oust Marian Marecak, a two-time 49-year-old Olympian from Slovakia.</p>.<p>Two 8s in the first two ends saw the Indian trail by three points as he slowly stepped up before a perfect fourth end -- three 10s including two Xs (closest to the centre) -- took him past the Slovak 111-108.</p>.<p>Both shot an identical 29-all in the final end which was enough for Rakesh to make the last-eight.</p>.<p>In their second Paralympic appearance, India will now look up to Vivek Chikara and Harvinder Singh who will open their campaign in the recurve men's open on Friday.</p>.<p>2019 Asian Para Championship winner Vivek Chikara finished in top-10 shooting 609 points, ahead of 2018 Para Asian Games champion Harvinder Singh who qualified as 21st seed.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>