New Delhi, Oct 26 – Star Indian paddler Manika Batra pulled off a stunning upset by defeating world No. 14 Bernadette Szocs of Romania, securing her place in the women’s singles quarterfinals at the WTT Champions event in Montpellier, France.
In a thrilling round of 16 match on Friday night, Batra, currently ranked No. 30 in the world, won with a score of 3-1 (11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9) after 29 intense minutes. The multiple Commonwealth Games medallist displayed remarkable resilience, saving two game points in the third game to maintain her lead, and ultimately clinching the victory with her second match point in the fourth game.
This win marks Batra’s 6-5 advantage in their head-to-head record, having previously triumphed over Szocs during India’s 3-2 victory against Romania in the pre-quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics.
Looking ahead, Batra is set to face China’s Qian Tianyi on Saturday. Qian, ranked No. 21, made headlines by defeating top seed and fellow countrywoman Wang Yidi 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 13-11) in her own round of 16 match.
In contrast, fellow Indian Sreeja Akula was eliminated in the first round, falling 2-3 (11-6, 7-11, 1-11, 11-8, 8-11) to world No. 13 Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico.
