: WTT Star Contender Goa: I aim To play the quarterFinals, says Indias Sreeja Akula #IndiaNEWS #Sports Panjim (Goa), Feb 26 (IANS) Indias top table tennis player and Commonwealth Games medallist Sreeja

@IndiaNEWS

Posted in: #IndiaNEWS #Sports

WTT Star Contender Goa: I aim To play the quarterFinals, says Indias Sreeja Akula #IndiaNEWS #Sports
Panjim (Goa), Feb 26 (IANS) Indias top table tennis player and Commonwealth Games medallist Sreeja Akula is on a high after her recent success and is hoping to do well at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender Goa 2023, scheduled to be held between February 27 and March 5.
Sreeja Akula, the diminutive national womens table tennis champion from Hyderabad, has had a dream run for the past 10 months.
After winning her maiden national crown in April last year in Shillong, Sreeja experienced the high of a Commonwealth Games gold for the country in the mixed doubles in Birmingham last year, partnering Indian legend Sharath Kamal. That performance, her grit and her never-say-die attitude endeared her to fans and brought her into the national limelight for the first time.
As she prepares to take part in a first home World Table Tennis (WTT) event in Panjims Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Sreeja exudes confidence during a freewheeling chat.
I aim to play the quarterfinals, the Reserve Bank of India employee said confidently from her home in Hyderabad when probed on her goal in the tournament.
She was naturally exhausted after a busy training schedule that begins with an hour or so of fitness training followed by two and a half hours of practice. But that did not prevent the calm, confident and warm smile from disappearing for even a second. It camouflaged a fierce competitor underneath.
Sreeja has grown in experience every day since Birmingham high and is clearly not one to sit back on her laurels.
After qualifying for the World Table Tennis Championships (Durban, May 2023) singles draw in January in Lusail, Qatar, Sreeja played a WTT Contender event in Jordan where she gave a fright to world No. 5 Mima Ito of Japan, going down in four games in the round of 32.
I gave her a tough fight in all the games and even took a game off her. It has given me a lot of confidence, Sreeja was quoted as saying by the organisers in a release.
She was in no doubt about the tough task at hand in Goa however, saying, It is going to be a very tough tournament as all the top players are participating. It is definitely the strongest singles main draw I have played in. I have participated in Star Contender events before but the field was not this high in quality.
I also participated in the Singapore Grand Smash last year but only in the qualifiers. I will try and not to take any pressure and take it to match by match. Training has been going on very well and I am confident of a good show.
On the gap between strong Table Tennis nations like China, Korea, Japan, Sweden, Germany and India, Sreeja felt the gap is closing down.
The gap is definitely coming down now.

Intraday stocks under 50 NSE India Twitter of India

Vote Up Vote Down

Login to post a comment!