Sreeja Akula, the rising star in Indian table tennis, achieved a remarkable milestone during the Paris Olympics 2024. Sreeja reached an impressive No. 21 in the world rankings, setting a new record for Indian table tennis players. Her ascent has been rapid, considering she began the year ranked at No. 89.
Sreeja Akula’s performance at Paris Olympics
At the Paris Olympics, Sreeja made history by becoming only the second Indian paddler to reach the Round of 16 in a table tennis event. In the quarterfinal, she faced World No. 1 Sun Yingsha of China, showcasing her talent and determination.
Sreeja started her Olympic campaign with a dominant 4-0 victory over Christina Kallberg of Sweden. She continued her winning streak by defeating Singapore’s Zeng Jian with a 4-2 scoreline. Although she couldn’t overcome Sun Yingsha, her performance was commendable.
Sreeja was also part of the Indian women’s team that advanced to the quarterfinals, where they faced Germany. Alongside fellow players Manika Batra and Archana Kamath, she contributed to India’s strong showing in team events.
Sreeja Akula reaches World No. 21 position in the latest Women's Singles Table Tennis Rankings!🇮🇳
This is Sreeja's career best and also the highest rank an Indian paddler has ever achieved in Singles!💪#TableTennis #SKIndianSports pic.twitter.com/f1bn5e3SSk
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) August 13, 2024
Unfortunately, Sreeja has been ruled out of the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 due to a stress fracture. She will need approximately six weeks to recover fully. Despite this setback, her achievements remain remarkable, including winning gold in mixed doubles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and securing a WTT Contender single title.
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