Indian table tennis team including Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath edged out Romania 3:2 in the Round Of 16 Women’s Team event at Paris 2024 on Monday. The Indian women’s team will take on the mighty China in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
Batra starred with her brilliance in the singles matches to steer India to the historic achievement. The World Ranked-28th Indian overcame World Ranked 10th Bernadette Szocs in straight games 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-7) to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five match.
In the decider, Batra took on the 61st ranked Adina Diaconu to seal the deal for India in straight games (11-5, 11-9, 11-9).
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Following the close victory, Batra said: “Today marks a historic moment for Indian table tennis, as we advance to the quarterfinals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This achievement is a result of the dedication, hard work, and unwavering belief we had in ourselves. Personally for me, coming into my 3rd Olympics, I’m extremely happy to use my experience and help the team in tough situations. The entire team is in high spirits, and we are determined to keep this momentum going.
Every cheer, message, and word of encouragement has given us the strength to play with even more intensity. We promise to give our all in the upcoming matches and make India proud. Thank you for your unwavering support.”
This is India’s first-ever appearance in the Women’s Team event at the Olympics.
