Elizabeta Samara: ‘Indian players are really competitive to face’

In the player draft, Maharashtra United had picked Samara as its first foreign female player.

A three-time European champion Elizabeta Samara also has been playing mixed doubles in the UTT.

Romanian Elizabeta Samara, who is representing Maharashtra United in the ongoing Ultimate Table Tennis league, believes that Indian paddlers have upped their game.

“I have seen Indian players play international games and now in the UTT. They are really competitive to face and their understanding of the game has developed too,” Samara, who is world no 19, was quoted as saying in a media release.

In the player draft, Maharashtra United had picked Samara as its first foreign female player. A three-time European champion Samara also has been playing mixed doubles in the league, along with India’s number 1 Amalraj Anthony.

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She has relished the new challenge alongside Anthony. “Anthony’s urge to learn something new never fades. He uses his focus in a right direction and his study of the opposition during the game is very impressive,” 29-year-old Samara pointed out.

“There is always a scope for improvement in every sport, so I would say India is on the right track,” she signed off.