India's Historic Table Tennis Campaign Ends at Paris Olympics

India's historic table tennis campaign at the Paris Olympics concluded with Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula's exits. Despite their losses, both players showed significant potential, reaching the Round of 16. Manika became the first Indian to advance to the pre-quarterfinals, while Sreeja put up a strong fight on her 26th birthday.

India's historic table tennis campaign at the Paris Olympics concluded on Wednesday with the exits of Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula.

Playing against higher-ranked Japanese Miu Hirano, Manika fell short with scores of 6-11, 9-11, 14-12, 8-11, and 6-11. Meanwhile, Sreeja faced the world number one, Yingshaw Sun, and lost after a valiant fight, 10-12, 10-12, 8-11, 3-11, marking her bittersweet 26th birthday.

Both players had chances to advance, showcasing the potential for Indian table tennis on the global stage. Manika became the first Indian to reach the pre-quarterfinals at the Olympic Games, while Sreeja also advanced with a 4-2 win over Singapore's Jian Zeng. Looking ahead, Indian players are now gearing up for the team events.