Manika Batra is on a dream run at the Saudi Smash. After stunning world No. 2 Wang Manyu in the second round, the Indian table tennis star has eliminated world number 14 Nina Mittelham of Germany to progress to the quarterfinals of the event, in Jeddah on Wednesday, May 9, 2024. (More Sports News)
Saudi Smash: Manika Batra Defeats World No. 14 Nina Mittelham, Enters Quarter-Finals
This is Manika Batra's first victory over Nina Mittelham in four clashes. Her phenomenal display at Saudi Smash 2024 is likely to make Manika the top-ranked Indian women's singles table tennis player again
Manika Batra had stunned world No. 2 Wang Manyu of China in the Saudi Smash 2024 second round. Photo: File
Manika Batra had stunned world No. 2 Wang Manyu of China in the Saudi Smash 2024 second round. Photo: File
This is Manika's first victory over Mittelham in four clashes. She won 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 in 22 minutes to seal her last-eight berth and will next face world No. 5 Hina Hayata of Japan in the quarter-finals.
Before shocking China's Wang 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 on Monday, Manika had prevailed over Romania's Andreea Dragoman in the first round, winning 11-6, 13-11, 11-8.
Manika was earlier upstaged by Sreeja Akula as the top-ranked Indian women's singles table tennis player (Sreeja at number 38, Manika 39), but the the 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist is likely to regain the numero uno throne in the country after her phenomenal display in Jeddah.
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