Manika Batra's Brave Battle Ends at Paris Olympics

Manika Batra concluded her impressive run at the Paris Olympics with a defeat to Japan's Miu Hirano. Batra, the first Indian to reach the Round of 16, was joined by Sreeja Akula, who reached the pre-quarterfinals. Despite a strong fight, Batra lost 6-11 9-11 14-12 8-11 7-11 to Hirano.

Manika Batra's remarkable journey at the Paris Olympics came to a close following a defeat against Japan's higher-ranked Miu Hirano. This occurred just hours after her fellow Indian athlete, Sreeja Akula, celebrated her birthday by advancing to the women's singles pre-quarterfinals in table tennis on Wednesday.

Veteran player Manika Batra became the first Indian to progress to the Round of 16 at the Olympic Games on Monday. She was later joined by Sreeja, who achieved a 4-2 victory over Singapore's Jian Zeng to also reach the pre-quarterfinals.

Facing Miu, who showcased tremendous form, Batra fought valiantly but ultimately fell 6-11 9-11 14-12 8-11 7-11 in the pre-quarterfinal round. Although Batra maintained a healthy lead in two of the games, Miu's impressive strokes proved too challenging, denying Batra further progress in the tournament.