Manika creates history, becomes first Indian TT player to reach Olympics pre-quarterfinals

Manika Batra created history by becoming the first Indian table tennis player to reach singles pre-quarterfinals at the Olympic Games with a fluent 4-0 win over world number 18 and home favourite Prithika Pavade here on Monday.

The 29-year-old Manika dominated from start to finish for a 11-9 11-6 11-9 11-7 win over Prithika who has Indian roots. It turned out to be one of the most memorable matches for an Indian table tennis player in Olympics history.

Prithika’s parents were originally from Puducherry but the family shifted to France in 2003. She was born at a Paris suburb a year later.

The 19-year-old Prithika had competed in the Tokyo Olympics, making a first round exit but has improved considerably since then as she is currently ranked 18th in the world as against 28th of Manika.

Manika had reached the round of 32 in Tokyo Olympics and she bettered that performance on Monday. Achanta Sharath Kamal had also reached the round of 32 in men’s singles in the Tokyo Olympics.

Left-handed Prithika came into the Olympics on the back of a splendid run where she made the WTT final for the first time in her career in June but could not find a way to go past Manika, who dished out a commanding show.

The first game was tight affair with both players going neck and neck. At 8-8, Manika induced a backhand error from her young rival and closed the game with a ferocious forehand drive that Prithika could not return.

Manika carried the momentum in the second game, taking a 3-1 lead. Prithika fought back to level the score, inducing errors from the Indian. However, Manika’s attack on backhand of Prithika got her points consistently. In no time, she was leading 9-6. Consecutive backhand errors from Prithika handed Manika the second game.

There was no stopping the seasoned Indian, who got herself to a healthy 3-0 cushion in game three as Prithika struggled with her returns.

A desperate Prithika went all out and got her first point with a thumping forehand winner. With a 5-1 lead in hand, Manika kept attacking the backhand side of the French player, making it 8-4.

Trailing 5-10, Prithika made it a contest by taking four points in a row but Manika needed just one more to close the game. The home favourite netted a backhand drive to concede the game and a 3-0 lead to the Indian.

A ferocious forehand gave Manika a 10-5 lead in the fourth game and five match points. She converted the third when Prithika netted her backhand to win the match in 37 minutes.