Indian paddlers endured a hard day at the Saudi Smash 2024 desk tennis tournament with only Manika Batra successful her initially-spherical match in singles on Saturday.
Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sreeja Akula, and Manika Batra were the Indians in motion in the to start with round of men’s and women’s singles and only Manika managed to appear out triumphant.
Manika defeated Andrea Dragoman of Romania in straight online games in the round of 64.
Starting up perfectly in the initial activity, Manika took the 1- direct soon after successful 11-6. Dragoman experienced other concepts in the second activity and she fought back again creating it 11-11 but Manika’s expertise arrived in useful as she clinched the second match.
Manika received the match by dominating in the third video game and profitable the match 11-8.
Sreeja Akula lost 1-3 to a reduced-ranked Jieni Shao of Portugal in her to start with-round match right after conceding benefit two times in two video games.
Shao started very well and stunned Sreeja with an 11-7 acquire in the first video game. Sreeja fought again in the 2nd recreation but dropped the game 11-13.
In the need to-earn 3rd game, Sreeja arrived back properly and received the activity 11-9 to stay alive in the event. Having said that, in the fourth activity, Sreeja failed to near the match and dropped 12-14 to tumble just shorter of the upcoming round.
Previously in the day, Achanta Sharath Kamal faced a heartbreaking decline against Quadri Aruna of Nigeria. Inspite of main 2- in the match, Sharath missing the match 2-3.
Starting up properly against Aruna, Sharath received the initially two video games 11-8, and 13-11, and appeared like successful the match.
However, Aruna built a comeback and took the next two game titles 11-8 and 11-5 to make it 2-2. In the remaining video game, both of those paddlers had been tied at 11-11 but Aruna showed nerves to clinch the match 13-11.
What’s upcoming?
With just Manika remaining in the singles group, men’s and women’s doubes gamers will take the field. In the meantime, Manika will be up against Wang Manyu of China in the next-round recreation.