Manika Batra, an Indian women's table tennis player, achieved a career-best singles ranking of 24 in the Saudi Smash, becoming the first Indian woman paddler to break into the top 25 at world rankings. The 28-year-old Indian women's table tennis player has achieved a career apex with her recent victory in defeating China's Wang Manyu, a multiple-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, marking a phenomenal moment in Indian women's table tennis history.
Manika's impressive rise in rankings from 39th to 15th place was a testament to her unwavering dedication and spirit. She earned 350 points defeating Wang Manyu, which also marked as the first Indian women's player to advance in the respective tournament. Manika expressed, "An extreme confidence boost on the road to Paris 2024. Breaking into the Top-25 and achieving the best rank ever achieved by an Indian in women's singles of the ITTF Ranking." She further thanked her coaches stating, "Thank you, everyone, for your blessings and support. Especially Aman Balgu, my sparring partner Kirill Barabanov of Belarus, and my family for the constant support." "Onward and upward towards Paris 2024," she added.
Manika Batra kickstarted her table tennis journey when she was four years old. She is a former U-21 silver medallist, won three Commonwealth Championships medals, and reached the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in 2014. In 2021, she won the WTT Contender Budapest mixed doubles and WTT Contender Lasko women's doubles titles.
