Tennis

Ayhika Mukherjee, the Asian Games bronze medalist in table tennis, has expressed her disappointment over being omitted from the three-member women's team for the Paris Olympics. Despite her impressive doubles performance, the selection committee chose Archana Kamath over Ayhika, citing her higher international singles ranking.Ayhika, who will travel to Paris as a reserve, believes she is not just a doubles specialist and can pair up with any player. She highlighted her strong doubles ranking (13th) and exceptional singles performances at both national and international levels. She also pointed out her successful partnership with Sreeja Akula in the past.Ayhika's omission has raised questions about the selection criteria. She played a key role in the women's team's qualification for Paris at the Team Worlds, defeating world No. 1 Sun Yingsha. However, Archana's higher singles ranking and previous doubles experience with Manika Batra may have influenced the decision.Ayhika expressed her disappointment but remained optimistic. She said, "My confidence is not broken and dreams have not shattered. I have faith in my hard work. No one can predict the future and anything can happen." She added that she will continue to train with Paris in mind.Ayhika also highlighted the financial challenges she faces as a non-TOPS athlete. Limited funds restrict her ability to travel abroad and compete in WTT tournaments, which could help her improve her individual ranking. She said, "With the federation's support, I can play maximum 5-6 events, and that too depends on my performance and ranking. Since I am not part of TOPS unlike other players, to play more tournaments and better my ranking, I have to self fund. And that is difficult."Despite the setback, Ayhika remains determined to prove her worth. She said, "I have always contributed and delivered results when it was expected from me, either at doubles or singles events in major tournaments. The reactions from everyone after the team announcement speaks for itself on how I would have felt."

Manika Batra, India's table tennis star, has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals of an elite World Table Tennis (WTT) Grand Smash event. Her remarkable victory over world number 14 Nina Mittelham of Germany in just 22 minutes on Wednesday has propelled her to new heights.Batra's triumph over Mittelham, her first in four attempts, is a testament to her exceptional form. It follows her stunning upset of world number two Wang Manyu of China in the second round. The Indian ace will now face another formidable opponent, world number five Hina Hayata of Japan, in the quarterfinals on Thursday evening.Batra's confidence is soaring after her historic bronze medal win over Hayata at the Asia Cup in 2022. She expressed her pride and excitement after her victory over Mittelham, acknowledging the importance of staying calm and focused after her triumph over Wang."I'm feeling really proud with myself that I played my best game today after beating Wang Manyu. That match was really important to me and I was happy and excited so I had to keep myself calm for this match," said Batra.The 28-year-old Indian is currently ranked 39th in the world, but her impressive performance in Saudi Arabia is set to propel her into the top 25. Batra's journey to the quarterfinals began with a victory over Romania's Andreea Dragoman in the first round, followed by her historic upset of Wang.Batra's success is a testament to her hard work and dedication. She has been training tirelessly in her room and practice sessions, and her efforts are paying off. She expressed her gratitude to her practice partner, coach in India, and the cheering crowd for their support."Everything is going right here. Everything in my room, in my practice session, in my match; so I think I love this country! This is my first quarterfinals in a Smash so I'm really thankful to everyone that was there to cheer and my practice partner for coaching me and my coach in India," she added.Batra's historic achievement is a major milestone for Indian table tennis. It is a testament to her talent, determination, and the growing strength of the sport in India.

Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has achieved the biggest win of her singles career by defeating World No. 2 Wang Manyu of China at the Saudi Smash tournament. Batra, ranked 39th in the world, stunned the second-seeded Chinese player 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 in just 37 minutes.Batra's victory is a significant milestone in her career, as she has previously struggled against top-ranked opponents. In the World Cup last month, she lost 0-4 to Wang Manyu. However, in this match, Batra displayed exceptional resilience and determination.After losing the opening game, Batra fought back to take the next two games quickly. Wang Manyu kept herself in the match, but Batra remained composed and claimed the last two points to seal the victory."It is the biggest achievement of my singles career," Batra said after the match. "I am really happy that I won against her. I have been working hard in my training sessions with my coach Aman Balgu and my trainers."In mixed doubles, Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade also had a successful outing, defeating the Spanish fifth-seeded pair of Alvaro Robles and Maria Xiao 3-2 (11-5, 5-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7) to reach the quarterfinals.Asian Games bronze medallists Ayhika and Sutirtha Mukherjee also advanced to the pre-quarters in women's doubles, defeating Mariam and Marwa Alhodaby 3-0 (11-7, 1-3, 11-4).However, Sreeja Akula, who recently surpassed Manika in the world rankings to occupy the No. 38 position, lost 7-11, 11-3, 11-9, 12-14 to Jieni Saho after leading the Portuguese player in two games.Other Indian players, including A. Sharath Kamal, Archana Kamath, Manav Thakkar, and Sutirtha Mukherjee, also put up good fights in singles but ultimately fell short.