Paris Olympics 2024: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula exit from women's singles last 16 despite spirited fights

Their defeats also ended India’s singles campaign in table tennis at Paris Olympics 2024.

Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula crashed out in pre-quarterfinals of table tennis women’s singles at Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday (July 31). The Indian paddlers, both of whom made history by reaching the round of 16 at the Olympics, making them the first Indian singles paddlers to do so, bowed out with spirited fights.

While Manika lost to Japanese eighth seed Miu Hirano 1-4 (6-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, 6-11) in 47 minutes, Sreeja went down against reigning World No. #1 and Tokyo 2020 silver medallist, Sun Yingsha, 0-4 (10-12, 10-12, 8-11, 3-11) in 38 minutes at the South Paris Arena 4 Table 1.

Defeat for Manika Batra!! 💔🏓She goes out after 1-4 defeat in women's singles round of 16 against Tokyo silver medallist and 8th seeded Hirano Miu of Japan 🇯🇵.Manika had already made history as the first Indian singles paddler to reach the pre-quarterfinals at Olympics. 🇮🇳… pic.twitter.com/4K1yO2oJGK

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) July 31, 2024

Earlier, Manika had become the first Indian to make the Round of 16 of table tennis at the Olympics after beating France’s Prithika Pavade, who was 10 places ahead of her. But against Hirano, she could not quite show the same level of dominance.

Manika started in great fashion with the scoreline reading 6-6 in the first game. Manika once led and was looking good to take the game, but Hirano had other ideas. From there on, she upped her ante to win five back-to-back points and closed out the game.

Yet again Manika let her opponent off the hook despite getting her on the mat. She stormed to a 5-1 lead but could not hold on. Hirano showed nerves of steel and made a fine comeback with her backs against the wall to close out the game in nine minutes.

Manika started the third in a similar fashion when she took a 6-2 lead. Hirano was in no mood to die down as she made it 6-7. Once Hirano smelled blood, she went on to fetch a game point, but Manika saved it. Manika saved two more game points after which she earned one and converted it to stay alive in the match.

Also Read: India at Paris Olympics 2024: Table Tennis schedule, squad, live streaming details

In the fourth, although Manika fell behind, she came back to make it 6-6. Hirano brought all her experience to the fore, getting two game points and converting the first to take a 3-1 lead in the match.

Another Indian table tennis hopeful Sreeja Akula emulated Manika Batra’s feat as she too qualified for the Round of 16 in the Women’s Singles event at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Birthday girl Akula reached the next round after beating Singapore’s Jian Zeng 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10 in an exciting encounter which extended to six sets.

End of the road for Sreeja Akula!! 💔But what a fight she put up against the World No.1 and Tokyo silver medallist Sun Yingsha. 🏓#TableTennis #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/3BissrVfWO

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) July 31, 2024

Despite Zeng’s powerful show at the beginning, during which she whipped the Indian player, the latter never lost faith and fought back to overtake the Singaporean girl at the end of that enthralling clash.

The fifth game ended as a nail-biting encounter, with Zeng bouncing back into the game. But Sreeja kept herself cool and composed, winning the last set and the match convincingly to cruise into the next round and writing her name in the history of Indian Table Tennis.

With this she became the second Indian table tennis player to reach the Round 16 stage at the Paris Olympics after Manika Batra achieved this a day ago.

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