Indian men’s table tennis team is set to face a formidable challenge as they compete against four-time gold medalists China in the opening round of the Paris Olympics. The women’s team, meanwhile, will face Romania in the round of 16. They could face, the Rio 2016 silver medallists Germany, in the second round. Notably, India have qualified for team events in table tennis for the first time. On the other hand, China have won the gold medal in the men’s event at all the editions, since the introduction of team events at the Olympics in 2008.
In the singles women’s singles event, star paddler Manika Batra, who is seeded 18, will begin her campaign against Anna Hursey, teenager from Great Britain.
Manika, who is competing in her third Olympics after making her debut in Rio 2016, made it to the third round at Tokyo 2020 in women’s singles. Hursey, on the other hand, will be making her Olympic debut.
Another Indian, Sreeja Akula was seeded 16, and will take on Sweden’s Christina Kallberg in her round-of-64 match.
In men’s singles, veteran Sharath Kamal, who will mark his record fifth Olympic appearance, will face 27-year-old Deni Kozul of Slovenia in the opening round.
Harmeet Desai, meanwhile, will start his campaign in the preliminary round. Desai will face Zaid Abo Yaman of Jordan on July 27.
The preliminary round in men’s and women’s singles will include three matches each. The winners of the preliminary round will qualify for the round of 64.
Harmeet will face world no. 5 Frenchman Felix Lebrun if he wins the preliminary round.
Table tennis competitions at Paris Olympics will take place between July 27 to August 10.
All five competitions – men’s singles, women’s singles, mixed doubles, men’s team and women’s team will be played at the South Paris Arena.
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File photo of Manika Batra© Twitter
The brilliant campaign of top Indian woman paddler Manika Batra at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Saudi Smash came to an end after she lost to World No.5 Hina Hayata of Japan in the quarterfinals, on Thursday. Japan’s Hayata beat World No.39 Manika 4-1 (7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11, 11-2) in 39 minutes to reach the semifinals.
The 28-year-old Indian had started her campaign in Saudi Smash with a 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-8) win over Andreea Dragoman of Spain in the first round.
In the round of 32 Manika came back after losing the first game to win the next three to stun the top Chinese player and Olympic medallist World No. 2, Wang Manyu and won the match 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 in 38 minutes.
Manika is expected to regain her status as the top-ranked Indian female in the ITTF World Rankings after a successful run in Jeddah.
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Manika Batra
Manika Batra in action© X (formerly Twitter)
Manika Batra has become the first Indian woman table tennis player to enter the quarterfinals of an elite WTT event following her victory over world number 14 Nina Mittelham at the Grand Smash event. After stunning world number two Wang Manyu in the second round, Batra extended her red hot form in Saudi Arabia with a 11-6 11-9 11-7 win over her German rival in just 22 minutes on Wednesday. It was Batra’s first win over Mittelham in four attempts and now she will face another formidable rival in world number five Hina Hayata of Japan on Thursday evening. The Indian will be backing herself to put it past Hayata as she had upset the Japanese to win a historic bronze in the Asia Cup back in 2022.
“I’m feeling really proud with myself that I played my best game today after beating Wang Manyu. That match was really important to me and I was happy and excited so I had to keep myself calm for this match,” said the 28-year-old Batra.
“Everything is going right here. Everything in my room, in my practice session, in my match; so I think I love this country! This is my first quarterfinals in a Smash so I’m really thankful to everyone that was there to cheer and my practice partner for coaching me and my coach in India,” she added.
Batra, who is currently ranked 39, is set to break into the top-25 following a memorable week here.
Batra had shocked China’s Wang on Monday after getting past Romania’s Andreea Dragoman in the first round, her first win at a Grand Smash event.
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Manika Batra