Manika Batra Makes History at WTT Montpellier 2024
In Montpellier, France, Indian table tennis player Manika Batra achieved a historic milestone at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Montpellier 2024 tournament. She became the first Indian to reach the top eight in a WTT Champions tournament. Despite her loss to China’s Qian Tianyi in the quarterfinals with scores of 0-3 (8-11, 8-11, 10-12), Batra’s performance was commendable.
The WTT Champions series, established two years ago, features the world’s top 32 male and female players, offering significant prize money and ranking points. Ranked 30th globally, Manika advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Romania’s world number 14, Bernadette Szocs, with a 3-1 victory (11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9). She began her campaign with a win over USA’s Lily Zhang, 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 12-10), and continued with a swift victory over Szocs.
Previously, Manika had also triumphed over Szocs during India’s 3-2 win against Romania in the women’s team event at the Paris Olympics. However, facing world number 21 Tianyi proved challenging, especially after Tianyi’s surprising win over top seed Yidi in the round of 16.
Meanwhile, Sreeja Akula, another Indian player ranked 25th in women’s singles, exited in the first round after losing to Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz, ranked 13th, with scores of 3-2 (6-11, 11-7, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8). There were no Indian participants in the men’s singles at the WTT Champions Montpellier 2024.
Doubts Revealed
Manika Batra -: Manika Batra is a famous Indian table tennis player known for her skills and achievements in the sport. She has represented India in many international competitions.
WTT Montpellier 2024 -: WTT Montpellier 2024 is a table tennis tournament that is part of the World Table Tennis (WTT) series. It features top players from around the world competing against each other.
Qian Tianyi -: Qian Tianyi is a table tennis player from China. She is known for her strong performances in international table tennis competitions.
Bernadette Szocs -: Bernadette Szocs is a table tennis player from Romania. She is one of the top players in Europe and competes in international tournaments.
Lily Zhang -: Lily Zhang is a table tennis player from the USA. She is known for her participation in international table tennis events and has competed against top players worldwide.
WTT Champions series -: The WTT Champions series is a set of table tennis tournaments that bring together the best players from around the world. It was started two years ago to showcase top-level table tennis.
Sreeja Akula -: Sreeja Akula is another Indian table tennis player who participated in the WTT Montpellier 2024. Unfortunately, she was eliminated in the first round of the tournament.
