Sreeja Akula Advances to Round of 16 in Paris Olympics Table Tennis

Indian paddler Sreeja Akula moved to the Round of 16 in women's singles table tennis at the Paris Olympics after defeating Singapore's Jian Zeng 4-2. Akula's victory marks her as the second Indian to reach this stage in the tournament.

Indian paddler Sreeja Akula stormed into the Round of 16 at the Paris Olympics by defeating Singapore's Jian Zeng in the women's singles 'round of 32' table tennis match on Wednesday. Akula emerged victorious with a 4-2 win (9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10) in a 51-minute face-off at the South Paris Arena.

In the initial two games, Zeng showcased dominance. However, Akula turned the tables in the third and fourth games. Though Zeng clinched the fifth game, Akula maintained her composure to seize victory in the final game. This achievement makes Akula only the second Indian table tennis player to reach the Round of 16 at the Olympics.

Prior to this, Akula had secured her spot in the round of 32 by defeating Sweden's Christina Kallberg on Sunday. Winning 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, and 11-8, Akula had an impressive debut, rapidly taking a 9-2 lead in the opening game. India's top-ranked player demonstrated her prowess throughout the match, barely giving Kallberg a chance to retaliate.

Meanwhile, fellow Indian paddler Manika Batra outshone France's Prithika Pavade in a dominant fashion in her round of 32 match, securing a 4-0 victory (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7). Batra overcame a two-point deficit in the first game and continued to exert control, easily winning the subsequent games to progress further in the tournament.

(With inputs from agencies.)