Meet Manika Batra, first Indian table tennis player to reach last 16 in Olympics history

New Delhi: Manika Batra made history on Monday by becoming the first Indian table tennis player to advance to the round og 16 in the Olympic Games singles competition. She has been a strong force in the Indian scene and is also a strong contender in the Paris Games. 

Right on the Mani 😍

Manika Batra becomes the first Indian paddler to reach the Round of 16 in Olympics history.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/cop2arKWXJ

— Olympic Khel (@OlympicKhel) July 29, 2024

Manika Batra on July 29, triumphed over France's Prithika Pavade with a decisive 4-0 victory (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in just 37 minutes. However, the opening game was a nail-biter, with both players fiercely contesting every point. Eventually, it set up a game-point and then executed a powerful forehand to clinch victory. Her combination of attack and defense strategies effectively kept Pavade under constant pressure. 

Who is Manika Batra? 

Manika Batra is an Indian Table Tennis player who hails from Delhi. The youngest of three siblings, Manika started playing table tennis at the age of four. She has great influence by her elder sister Anchal and brother Sahil, both of whom also played table tennis. She won a silver medal in the under-21 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games 2024, achieving quarterfinal finishes. Manika won three medals, including silver inthe Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2015. In subsequent years, Manika continued her success, winning team gold at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2019. 

What next for Manika Batra? 

With this win, Batra will face the winner of the match in the next round between Hong Kong's Zhu Chengzu and Japan's Miu Hirano. Meanwhile, India's top-ranked player, Sreeja Akula, will aim to advance when she competes on Wednesday.