Manika Batra achieves career high ranking in women's singles, becomes world no.35
Tuesday saw Manika Batra, a top-ranked table tennis player from India, climb three spots in the ITTF world rankings to a career-high position of 35. The 27-year-old had an exceptional performance to earn India's first-ever medal for a women's player at the Asian Cup in November.
On her approach to capturing a historic bronze in Bangkok, she had upset world number five Hina Hayata of Japan and world number seven Chen Xingtong of China. She gained 175 points in the standings as a result of her work, which helped her advance.
She has also advanced to the semifinals of two WTT Contender competitions held in Slovenia and Hungary. "The Asian Cup performance was surely among my best alongside the run at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. I enjoyed my game and was very confident," Manika told PTI.
After arriving home empty-handed from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, she won a gold at the Asian Cup. She had a remarkable run of four medals, including two gold, four years prior at Gold Coast.
She will compete later this week at the Asian World Championship qualification competition in Doha. Before competing in the WTT Star Contender in Goa the following month, she will also be in Doha for the WTT Contender. G Sathiyan stayed in position 39 in the men's rankings, while veteran Sharath Kamal fell three positions to number 47.