Manika Batra's Dominant Win Highlights Indian Table Tennis at World Championships

Indian table tennis star Manika Batra advanced to the World Championships' second round with a decisive win, while Manav Thakkar also progressed. In doubles, the duo Shah-Chitale triumphed, but Desai-Gnanasekaran and the mixed pair Desai-Ghorpade faltered. Newcomer Ankur Bhattacharjee exited early after a tough debut.

India's table tennis player Manika Batra showcased a strong performance, sailing into the second round of the World Championships with a straight-game victory over Nigeria's Fatima Bello. Seeded 22nd, Batra's 4-0 win reflected her commanding presence on the court, finishing the game in just 24 minutes. Next, she is set to face Korea's Park Gahyeon in the round of 64.

On the men's front, top-ranked player Manav Thakkar started his singles campaign with a convincing 4-1 triumph against New Zealand's Timothy Choi. Thakkar's authoritative play secured his passage to the next stage, though it was a disappointing day for debutant Ankur Bhattacharjee, who was defeated 1-4 by Hong Kong's Lam Siu Hang.

In doubles, the Indian pair Manush Shah and Diya Chitale advanced with a strong 3-0 victory over Algeria's Mehdi Bouloussa and Malissa Nasri. Contrastingly, the men's doubles pair of Harmeet Desai and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran faced an early exit, as did Desai in the mixed doubles, alongside Yashaswini Ghorpade, despite holding match points.

(With inputs from agencies.)