Table tennis star Archana Kamath stuns world number 58 in Budapest; Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula too advance to pre-quarters

Budapest, Aug 17 (Sports news) India's table tennis star Manika Batra and compatriots Archana Kamath and Sreeja Akula recorded tough victories to enter the round of 16 at the WTT Contender here on Tuesday.

All Indian players were stretched to the fifth and deciding game.

While 60th-ranked, Batra defeated 115-ranked Sabine Winter of Germany 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 13-15, 11-5; world number 134 Kamath upset 58th-ranked Yana Noskova of Russia 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-9 in a gruelling affair.

Qualifier Sreeja Akula, ranked 150th, played her heart out against Swedish defender Linda Bergstorm, ranked 78th, to win 11-8, 6-11, 14-12, 2-11, 11-7.

Also read: High time that I stop feeling pressure and see my game from a different perspective: Archer Deepika Kumari after early Olympic exit

India's Reeth Tennison, however, went down fighting against Hungary's Szandra Pergel in her round of 32 match. It was a commendable effort from the 584th-ranked Indian against her 76th-ranked opponent after qualifying for the main draw.

G Sathiyan, who had lost his opening match at the Tokyo Olympics, will also be in action later in the day alongside Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar.

News source: PTI

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