'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India’s women’s team beat Italy with ease in their round-of-32 encounter at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships 2024 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Centre (BESCO) in South Korea on Wednesday.
Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, and Ayhika Mukherjee, the trio who steered India to their 3-2 victory against Spain yesterday, once again played a big role in the win against Italy. Batra and Akula won their respective matches 3-0, while Mukherjee dropped just one set, winning 3-1 to help India book their place in the last 16.
The women’s team has been having a phenomenal run at the tournament. They almost beat defending champions China, eventually going down 2-3 before getting the better of Uzbekistan, Hungary, and Spain in their other group-stage matches.
A closer look at the Indian women’s team’s tie against Italy at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships 2024:
The tie started with India’s Sreeja Akula taking on Italy’s Nikoleta Stefanova in the first match. Akula, who recently entered the top 50 in the world, made several unforced errors in the first game, handing Stefanova an early 5-2 lead.
However, the Indian quickly recovered from the initial setback to level things at 6-6 before accelerating ahead to lead 9-6. Like Akula, Stefanova also fought back, but the Indian managed to keep her composure and take the game 12-10. Akula found her rhythm in the second game and comfortably wrapped up the next two sets, 11-6, 11-8, to win the match.
The second match saw Indian veteran Manika Batra face off against Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin. The proceedings of the match were very similar to what took place between Akula and Stefanova. After an incredibly close first game, Batra went on to easily defeat her Italian counterpart. The final score of the match was 12-10, 11-6, 11-5 in favor of Batra.
2-0 up, India looked completely in control of the tie. The third match saw India’s Ayhika Mukherjee up against Gaia Monfradini of Italy. The thrilling four-set battle saw Mukherjee narrowly take the first and second games 15-13, 11-9, respectively.
However, Monfradini, who was down 8-10 in the third, kept her composure to save two match points and take the set 15-13. The fourth game saw yet another close battle, but the Indian paddler, who has been in incredible form, wrapped things up, winning 11-8 to seal the match, helping India secure the tie 3-0 and book a place in the last 16.
The Indian women’s team will take on Chinese Taipei in the pre-quarterfinals later in the day.
Results
India 3-0 Italy
Sreeja Akula 3-0 Nikoleta Stefanova (12-10, 11-6, 11-8)
Manika Batra 3-0 Giorgia Piccolin (12-10, 11-6, 11-5)
Ayhika Mukherjee 3-1 Gaia Monfradini (15-13, 11-9, 13-15, 11-8)
