’Well fought, Manika Batra!’ Netizens cheer Indian Table Tennis player who lost Paris Games but still made history

Paris Olympics 2024: Social media was all praise for India's Table Tennis player Manika Batra, who lost to Japanese Miu Hirano in the women's singles pre-quarterfinals but became the first Indian Table Tennis player to qualify into the Round of 16 in the Olympics.

Manika Batra faced 1-4 defeat at the hands of Hirano in the women's singles pre-quarterfinals on Sunday. Although her impressive run to an end, Batra, 29, became the first Indian table tennis player to reach the round of 16 at the Olympics following a 4-0 win over France's world number 18 Prithika Parade on Monday.

A social media user posted on X, “It's over for Manika Batra. Tough tough game. But should be proud of where she reached. #Olympics #TableTennis.”

Another said, "Well fought, Manika Batra!- Campaign comes to an end for Manika." A social media user by the name 'Johns" said, “A tough game but she will end with head high as she was the first Indian Table Tennis player to qualify into Round of 16 in Olympics.”

Meanwhile, another account posted, “Tough to watch. End of the campaign for Manika Batra 🇮🇳 — loses to Miu Hirano 🇯🇵 in the Round of 16.”

India paddler Manika Batra outclassed Prithika Pavade of France in the table tennis women's singles round of 32 match of the ongoing Paris Olympics. Batra defeated her French opponent by 4-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in the table tennis women's singles round of 32 match.

Batra bounced back from a two-point deficit to win the first game 11-9. The Indian clinched the second game with a comfortable five-point margin. Even though Pavade tried to resist in the third game, Batra took the game 11-9.

Batra's journey, however, ended in the last-16 stage after she went down 1-4 to eighth-seeded Japanese Miu Hirano. Batra was seeded 18th in the competition, which was her second Olympic outing. This was the Indian's fifth successive loss to Hirano.

Earlier in the day, compatriot Sreeja Akula's marched into the quarterfinals of the women's singles competition. A Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Batra had made it to the round of 32 at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

It was a perfect birthday for Games debutant Sreeja, who turned 26 on Wednesday, as she won the match 9-11 12-10 11-4 11-5 10-12 12-10 to become the second Indian paddler after Manika Batra to enter the ongoing edition's pre-quarterfinals.