UTT 2024: Manika Batra credits Ultimate Table Tennis for sport’s growth, especially for women

Manika and Sreeja Akula recently made history by becoming the first Indian table tennis players to reach the Olympics singles pre-quarterfinals in Paris.

Table Tennis player Manika Batra addresses a press conference ahead of the fifth season of Ultimate Table Tennis in Chennai. | Photo Credit: PTI

Three-time Olympian Manika Batra feels that Ultimate Table Tennis, which is returning for its fifth edition that kicks of on Thursday in Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, has helped the sport to grow in India, especially for women.

Manika and Sreeja Akula recently made history by becoming the first Indian table tennis players to reach the Olympics singles pre-quarterfinals in Paris.

Next, the 29-year-old Manika will represent Bengaluru Smashers in the eight-team Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) competition.

“Personally, it has helped me because the players come for UTT from different countries, and we play against them, we play with them,” Manika told reporters here on Wednesday.

“It’s really fun, and we enjoy this. I can see the growth that’s happening, especially in women’s table tennis in India, how we all are performing internationally. We have improved a lot from UTT.”

READ MORE | UTT 2024: Harmeet Desai, Goa Challengers aim to make history with back-to-back titles

Manika lost to Miu Hirano of Japan 0-3 in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals in Paris. In the team event, India, who were represented by Manika, Sreeja and Archana Kamath, lost to Germany 1-3 in the quarterfinals.

In the UTT, one of Manika’s most anticipated contests will be against world No. 13, Bernadette Szocs of Romania, who will play for Ahmedabad SG Pipers.

The two players also clashed during the pre-quarterfinals of the team event in Paris Olympics, with India winning the tie 3-2.

Bernadette said, “I love to play here; I love all the fans who are very big supporters of table tennis. And, of course, always when I come here, everything is perfect with good organisation.”

Nigerian legend Quadri Aruna returns to the tournament, and his clash against Sharath is expected to be one of the highlights of the tournament.

“With huge spending on the sport of table tennis in India, we have seen huge growth. Indian players are already title contenders in most of the tournaments in the world. So, I think table tennis has improved a lot in India,” expressed Aruna, who will be representing U Mumba TT.