Manika Batra - TT - sportstiger

Picture Credit: Twitter

After a close defeat against Germany, Sreeja Akula and Co. prevailed over Egypt 3-1 to confirm their berth for the pre-quarterfinals of the World Table Tennis Championships in Chengdu, China on Monday.  In the first match of the tie, Sreeja Akula started on a positive note as she defeated Hana Goda in a straight set, 11-6, 11-4, 11-1.

The second match of the draw brought Manika Batra up against Dina Meshref which the former won in five sets 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 2-11, 11-8. Egyptian Yousra Helmy defeated Indian player Diya Chitale in the third match. Despite winning the first game, Indian player failed to continue her form as she lost the game by 11-5, 10-12, 11-9, 9-11, 4-11. Akula emerged victorious 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6 against Dina Meshref in the fourth tie. 

Meanwhile, the Indian men's table tennis continued their winning run at the ongoing World Team Tennis Championship 2022 with a win over Kazakhstan by 3-2. Top-seeded Sathiyan Gnanasekaran started off the proceedings against Zholudev Denis in a superb form as the former clinched the game, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5.

The second match of the men's draw was a thriller as Kazakhstan bounced back strongly as Kirill Gerassimenko outplayed Harmeet Desai within three sets, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9. The third game of men's tie brought Manav Thakkar up against Kurmangaliyev Alan. The first set of the tie was equally competitive as it went down to the wire but eventually Indian player notched up a thrilling victory, 12-10 in the game. 

The next two sets didn't change anything as Thakkar emerged as a strong force winning both the sets effortlessly, 11-1 & 11-8. While Kazakhstan made a strong comeback in the next as Gnanasekaran succumbed to a 2-3 loss to Kirill. 

However, Harmeet came to play the decider and held his nerve as he went on to win three straight sets on the trot, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6. Notably, India came to this match on the back of a comprehensive victory against Uzbekistan and Germany. India is at the top of Group 2 with six points.