Manika Batra made history as the first Indian table tennis player to advance to the Olympic Games singles round of 16 by defeating Prithika Pavade 4-0. The 29-year-old, a gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, triumphed over Pavade, originally from Puducherry, now in France.

NEW DELHI: Indian table tennis player Manika Batra has made history by becoming the first Indian paddler to reach the round of 16 at the Olympics. Ranked 28th globally, Batra achieved this milestone by defeating world No. 18 Prithika Pavade from France with a 4-0 victory in South Paris Arena 4.

Manika Batra became the first Indian table tennis player to enter the Round of 16 of the Olympic Games singles competition as she hammered the higher-ranked Prithika Pavade by 4-0 in her second clash in the current edition of the quadrennial event.

Paris: Manika Batra etched her name in history books after she became the first Indian table tennis player to reach the pre-quarterfinals of any singles event at the Olympics. The 29-year-old breezed past France’s world no.18 Prithika Pavade, dominating from start to finish to win 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 to ensure her a Round of 16 place.