Manika Batra, a 29-year-old Indian table tennis player, made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the singles pre-quarterfinals at the Olympic Games. She achieved a decisive 4-0 victory over world number 18 and local favorite Prithika Pavade in Paris on Monday. Manika dominated from start to finish, winning 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 against Prithika, who has Indian roots. This achievement marks one of the most memorable moments for an Indian table tennis player in Olympic history. Manika had previously reached the round of 32 at the Tokyo Olympics and improved on that performance in Paris.
“I’m happy to have beaten a French player in Paris. I defeated a higher-ranked player. I didn’t think about making history and reaching the pre-quarters. There are more rounds ahead, and I’ll take it match by match and give my best, as always,” Manika told PTI after her match.
Manika’s strategy to target Prithika’s backhand proved highly effective, though it wasn’t her original game plan. “I had planned to play to her forehand as discussed with my coach, but I was scoring points on her backhand, so I didn’t change tactics. I did play a few shots on her forehand to keep her guessing,” she said. “It was a tough match. Staying relaxed helps me both on and off the court. I do breathing exercises that help me during the match. I will give my best against whoever I play in the next round.”
Prithika’s parents are originally from Puducherry, but the family moved to France in 2003, where she was born a year later in a Paris suburb. The 19-year-old Prithika had participated in the Tokyo Olympics, where she exited in the first round but has since improved significantly, currently ranked 18th in the world compared to Manika’s 28th rank.
Prithika came into the Olympics after a strong performance, including reaching the WTT final for the first time in her career in June. However, she struggled against Manika, who delivered a commanding performance.
The first game was closely contested, with both players neck and neck. At 8-8, Manika forced a backhand error from Prithika and closed the game with a powerful forehand drive that Prithika couldn’t return. Manika carried this momentum into the second game, taking an early 3-1 lead. Although Prithika fought back to level the scores, Manika’s persistent attacks on Prithika’s backhand earned her consistent points, leading to a 9-6 advantage. Consecutive backhand errors from Prithika gave Manika the second game.
In the third game, Manika quickly gained a 3-0 lead as Prithika struggled with her returns. Despite Prithika’s efforts, Manika maintained her lead, capitalizing on her opponent’s backhand weaknesses to extend her advantage to 8-4. Prithika managed to close the gap to 5-10 and took four points in a row, but Manika only needed one more point to secure the game, which she did when Prithika netted a backhand drive.
In the fourth game, a powerful forehand gave Manika a 10-5 lead and five match points. She clinched the victory on her third match point when Prithika netted another backhand, winning the match in 37 minutes.
