India’s table tennis player Manika Batra became the first Indian woman to advance to the pre-quarterfinals stage at the Olympics when she got the better of France’s Prithika Pavade in her round-0f-32 match at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 on Monday.
It was an upset of sorts as Manika, seeded 18th, beat Pavade, who is the 12th seed. The 29-year-old Indian won by a 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7) margin to advance.
In the world rankings, Manika is ranked 28th, while Pavade is ten places above her.
Both players started the match with the same intensity and matched point to point. The players opened an 8-8 score before Manika upped the ante to seal the game in her favour.
The second game was largely a one-sided affair as Manika, using a superb mix of attack and defence, took an early lead and consolidated on it. The momentum was clearly with the Indian paddler, as she opened up a 10-4 lead in the third game only to lose five game points on the trot.
With the score at 10-9 in the third, Manika took a break and soon converted the next opportunity in her favour to win the third game.
Pavade needed something special to combat Manika’s aggression, especially on her backhand. In the fourth game, Pavade did try to come close but once Manika took the lead, it was difficult to play catch up for the French player.
Pavade did save a couple of match points but an unforced error handed Manika the match.
Manika will next play Hong Kong China’s Zhu Chengzhu or Japan’s Miu Hirano in the pre-quarterfinals. Hirano is seeded eighth at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.
In the first round, Manika beat world No. 103 Anna Hursey of Great Britain 4-1 to progress to the round-of-32.
