Indian table tennis star Manika Batra has achieved a career milestone by securing the 24th position in the world rankings, making her the first Indian to be ranked among the top 25 in singles.
This remarkable leap in the rankings follows her outstanding performance at the Saudi Smash tournament. The 28-year-old Khel Ratna awardee was previously ranked 39th but jumped 15 places after reaching the quarter-finals in Jeddah.
Manika, who won individual and team gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, made headlines by defeating multiple world champion and Olympic gold medalist Wang Manyu of China to reach the last eight at the Saudi Smash. This achievement marked the first time an Indian woman made such significant progress in this tournament, earning her 350 points.
Reflecting on her career-best ranking, Manika said, “A top 25 finish ahead of the Olympics will boost my preparations. I want to continue this performance at the Paris Olympics and aim to move up the rankings. Improvement is a continuous process, and I am committed to it.”
In an Instagram post, Manika expressed gratitude to her coach Aman Balagu and her Belarus training partner Kirill Barabanov for their support in her journey.
