Indian table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal’s Olympic journey came to an abrupt end in the men’s singles competition, while star woman player Manika Batra made a strong start to her campaign in Paris.
Kamal, 42, suffered a disappointing 2-4 (12-10 9-11 6-11 7-11 11-8 10-12) defeat to Deni Kozul of Slovenia in the round of 64. Despite winning the first game, Kamal struggled to maintain his momentum, losing the next three games. He rallied to win the fifth game but ultimately fell short in the sixth, bowing out of the competition.
In contrast, Manika Batra, 29, dominated Anna Hursey of Great Britain in her round of 64 women’s singles match, winning 4-1 (11-8 12-10 11-9 9-11 11-5). The 2018 Commonwealth Games champion, seeded 18th in the tournament, controlled the match from the outset, taking a 3-0 lead. Hursey managed to win the fourth game, but Batra quickly regained her composure and sealed the victory in the fifth game.
Earlier, India’s top-ranked woman paddler Sreeja Akula also advanced to the round of 32 with a clinical 4-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) win over Sweden’s Christina Kallberg. Akula, who made history by becoming the first Indian paddler to win a WTT Contender singles title, displayed her dominance throughout the match.
Manika Batra will face 12th seed Prithika Pavade of France in the round of 32 on July 31, while Sreeja Akula will take on 19th seed Sofia Polcanova of Austria on the same day.
