Manika Batra, India’s ace table tennis player, has achieved a career-best singles ranking of 24. This achievement marks her entry into the world’s top 25, making her the first Indian woman paddler to do so. This accomplishment is not just a personal milestone for Manika but also a proud moment for Indian sports.
Manika Batra’s stellar campaign at Saudi SMash
Manika’s rise in the rankings is a result of her impressive performance in the Saudi Smash. She jumped 15 spots following her successful run in Jeddah, where she reached the quarterfinals. During the tournament, Manika showcased her exceptional skills and determination, defeating world No. 2 Wang Manyu of the People’s Republic of China in the round of 32 and world No. 14 Nina Mittelham of Germany in the pre-quarterfinals.
This victory is particularly significant as it is the first time an Indian women’s player has advanced that far in the tournament. Her performance earned her 350 points, contributing to her rise in the rankings.
Stepping ⬆️UP🥳
🇮🇳's latest No. 1️⃣ @manikabatra_TT roars once more as she climbs to No.2️⃣4️⃣ in the latest ITTF rankings😍, equalling Sathiyan G's 5⃣year old record ⏺️
You're now looking at the first 🇮🇳 women's #TableTennis singles player to break into top 2️⃣5️⃣ rankings💯… pic.twitter.com/UQOgGowbN3
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) May 14, 2024
Manika’s achievement is not just limited to her singles performance. In 2022, she rose to world No. 4 in the women’s doubles ranking along with Archana Kamath, marking the best rank achieved by any Indian table tennis player in any category.
In women’s singles, Sreeja Akula dropped three places to be world number 41. Achanta Sharath Kamal dropped three places to be ranked 40th in the men’s singles ranking. Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desai are ranked 62nd and 63rd respectively. In women’s doubles, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee moved one place up to world number 13.
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