Sreeja makes Hyderabad proud

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based TT player Akula Sreeja created history by winning a medal (Bronze) at the UTT 82nd Senior National Table Tennis Championships at the Tau Devi Lal Indoor Stadium in Panchkula (Haryana) this evening. This is for the first time ever, a girl from Hyderabad has won a medal in national championships.

She lost to the ultimate champion, Manika Batra of PSPB 1-4 (4-11, 12-10, 14-16, 8-11, 5-11) in the semi-finals. On her way to the semi-finals, Sreeja beat Prapti Sen of Bengal 4-3 (7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7) in quarter finals on Wednesday.

"I prepared very hard for this championship. I should have fared well," a visibly upset Sreeja, student of Somnath Ghosh UTT Table Tennis Academy in Kukatpally Housing Board Colony in Hyderabad,said. The fourth-seeded Sreeja represented her employer RBI in this tournament.

"I am happy with Sreeja's performance. The crucial third game slipped out of her. On the other hand, Manica is in terrific form," the coach Somnath Ghosh said. He requested the SAI consider Sreeja for Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) so that she can prepare for the Olympics. Sreeja is going to take part in two key tournaments to start at the end of the month at Doha.

Manika won her second title, the maiden being back in 2015 at the Hyderabad Nationals, by beating her teammate Reeth Rishya 4-2.

RESULTS

Women singles (Final): Manika Batra (PSPB) bt Reeth Rishya (PSPB) 8-11, 10-12, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6; Semifinals: Manika Batra (PSPB) bt Sreeja Akula (RBI) 11-4, 10-12, 16-14, 11-8, 11-5, Reeth Rishya (PSPB) bt Takeme Sarkar (RSPB) 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-3.