Manika Batra from China beats world number 2 to enter Saudi smash pre-quarters. table tennis news

Indian table tennis star Manika Batra on Monday registered the biggest win of her singles career by defeating world No. 2 Wang Manyu of China to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the Saudi Smash. 39th ranked Manika defeated the second seeded Chinese player 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 in just 37 minutes. Although Manika lost the opening game against the Tokyo Olympic team gold medalist and 2021 world champion, she fought well to win the next two games quickly. The 25-year-old Chinese player kept herself in the match until Manika sealed the famous victory by taking the last two points without giving her any more chances.

Unseeded Manika, who defeated Romania’s Andrea Dragoman on Sunday, will face 14th-ranked Nina Mittelheim of Germany in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Indian had lost 0-4 to Wang Manyu in the World Cup last month. Although Manika has defeated top-10 players in the past, the win over Wang Manyu holds significance.

“This is the biggest achievement of my singles career. I am really happy that I won against him. I have been working hard in my training sessions with my coach Aman Balgu and my trainers.

“You have to keep working hard (to achieve something like this). Thank you all for believing in me. I will keep this fighting spirit for my next match,” she said after the match.

In mixed doubles, Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade stunned Spanish fifth-seeded pair of Alvaro Robles and Maria Gio 3-2 (11-5, 5-11, 3-11, 11-7,11-7) . quarter finals.

In the pre-quarters, the Indian pair had defeated the Chilean pair of Nicolas Burgos and Paulina Vega 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-5).

Asian Games bronze medalists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee capped a successful day in Jeddah as the pair defeated Maryam and Marwa Alhodabi 3-0 (11-7, 1-3, 11-4) in the pre-quarters. Entered.

Asian Games bronze medalists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee ended a successful day in Jeddah as the pair defeated Maryam and Marwa Alhodabi 3-0 (11-7, 1-3, 11-4) to enter the pre-quarters. Did.

However, Sreeja Akula, who overtook Manika to reach 38th position in the world rankings, lost to Jenny Saho 7-11, 11-3, 11-9, 12-14 after leading the Portuguese by two games.

Earlier in the singles, other Indians including A Sharath Kamal, Archana Kamath, Manav Thakkar and Sutirtha Mukherjee lost against good competition.

Sharath, who faced Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri in the round of 64, lost after a strong performance after leading 2-0. Qadri defeated Sharath 8-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-5, 13-11.