Sreeja Akula celebrated her 26th birthday by reaching the quarterfinals of the women’s singles tennis tournament in Paris. With a hard-fought 4-2 win over Singaporean Jian Zeng in the round of 32, she made Indian table tennis history by joining compatriot Manika Batra in the quarterfinals. The match lasted 51 minutes, and Sreeja won by 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10.
Despite losing the first game, Sreeja’s persistence and strategy made her bounce back and win. “It was a tough match, but I focused and believed I could fight. Winning on my birthday makes this victory special,” Sreeja told PTI, reflecting on her journey. In the second game, Sreeja first lost three points, but managed to win the shootout. This comeback gave him confidence, which allowed him to dominate the third and fourth games. Although Zeng fought back in the fifth game, Sreeja cooled down and won the match in the sixth game.
Sreeja’s achievement follows her recent rise in international tennis. Last month, she reached a world high of 24th, surpassing Manika Batra as India’s top women’s player. His win at the WTT Contender’s title in Lagos in June and his gold medal in the mixed doubles event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, alongside Sharath Kamal, showed his growing strength in the sport.
In the fourth round, Sreeja will face Sun Yingsha for the first time in the world. Despite the challenges ahead, Sreeja remains optimistic and determined to continue her epic journey to the Olympics.
Sreeja’s win, along with Batra’s, is a landmark for Indian table tennis. It reflects the country’s growing talent and competitive spirit at the international level.
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