Deepika Kumari, who flattered to deceive in the team event, entered the pre-quarterfinals in the women’s individual event after winning back-to-back matches on Wednesday.

The senior-most member among the India women archers first defeated Reena Parnat of Estonia 6-5 in a shoot-off and then Quinty Roeffen of the Netherlands 6-2 at the Les Invalides. She will face Michelle Kroppen of Germany on Saturday.

The former world No.1’s first match against Parnat was close and both archers could not be separated after five sets. As Deepika fought back with three consecutive 10s to send the match into a shoot-off, the Estonian notched an eight and the four-time Olympian scored nine to take the contest.

The second match was easier and Deepika, who’s playing her first Olympics since becoming a mother in January last year, did not have to toil much. That her opponent had a few bad shots also helped India’s cause.

In the men’s individual Round of 64, four-time Olympian Tarundeep Rai lost 6-4 to Tom Hall of Great Britain.

The 40-year-old Rai was on the backfoot from the second set after a tied first. Hall, 33, bagged the second and fourth sets while the Indian could only get two points in the third. The fifth set was tied after both archers hit two 10s each.

Bhajan Kaur, who made the last-16 on Tuesday, will take on two-time Asian Games medallist Diananda Choirunisa (Indonesia) on Saturday too.

Written with inputs from PTI