Indian table tennis star Manika Batra expressed her joy after becoming the first Indian paddler to reach the round of 16 at the Olympics. Despite reaching a significant milestone, Batra emphasised her focus on playing each match with her best effort and enjoying the experience.
Manika, ranked 28th in the world, stunned local favourite world No. 18 Prithika Pavade 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in the South Paris Arena 4 in the French capital late on Monday night.
The Indian table tennis player will face either Hong Kong China's Zhu Chengzhu or eighth-seeded Japanese player Miu Hirano next.
"I'm not focusing on that (reaching Roud of 16 for the first time). My focus is to play every match with my best effort and enjoy the Olympics and yes, I'm really happy that I reached round of 16 and blessed. So I just give my best for every round I play against whoever I play," said Manika after her win.
India will also be part of the team competitions at Paris 2024, the first time India qualify for the Table Tennis team events at the Olympics. The men's team, featuring Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar, face a daunting task against four-time champions the China in the first round.
The women's team, comprising Manika, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath, meanwhile, has been drawn to play Romania in their first match.
Manika highlighted the historic achievement of both the Indian men's and women's teams qualifying for the Olympics. She expressed confidence in the team's preparation and commitment to giving their best for the nation.
"Of course, this is the first time we qualified in teams women and men. So, it's really a proud moment for India that table tennis is growing and I'm really happy with that. And yes, I think we are all very well prepared and we just give our best for our country and hundred percent for ourselves," said the 27-year-old paddler.
Manika and Prithika were evenly matched at 8-8 in the first game, but Manika pulled ahead to take the lead. The Indian won the second game comfortably and raced to a 10-4 lead in the third. Despite Pavade saving five game points, Manika extended her lead to 3-0. Her lethal backhands helped her close out the match smoothly.
Manika will face either Hong Kong China's Zhu Chengzhu or eighth-seeded Japanese player Miu Hirano next.
Reflecting on her preparation, Manika credited her rigorous practice and mental conditioning with her personal coach, Aman Balgu, as key factors in her readiness for the Olympics.
She noted the importance of staying focused in a high-pressure environment and appreciated the support from the crowd, even when playing against a local favorite.
"I think, I played my like normal game before coming here, I practiced really hard. We were in Saarbrucken (Germany) and before that I was with my personal coach Aman Balgu," said Manika.
"So, I think I was well prepared for this Olympics mentally and physically. Mentally of course more because it's a big event. You have to be focused for every point and I was playing against France and there were more crowd cheer for her not for me. So, I'm really happy that people were there to cheer for me. And yes mentally, I really worked before coming to Paris," she concluded.
(With inputs from IANS)
