“This is the biggest sporting achievement for India in 2024”: Fans react as Indians beat World No.1,2 at ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships

The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024 witnessed some unbelievable scenes as India’s Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula, who were the stars of the tie between India and China, beat the World No. 1 and 2 paddlers, respectively. The Indian women’s table tennis team took their tie against China to the decider, eventually losing 2-3.

Asian Games medalist Ayhika Mukherjee beat world champion Sun Yingsha with a score of 12-10, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6, while Sreeja Akula, who recently won the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi 2024, beat China’s Wang Yidi with an 11-7, 11-9, 13-11 scoreline.

Ayhika and Sreeja’s heroics had fans on social media applauding the Indian table tennis stars, and fans and fellow players took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate the paddlers on their historic feat.

One fan expressed his disbelief at Ayhika and Sreeja’s wins, saying it feels like it's from a parallel dimension.

“HAVE WE SOMEHOW REACHED SOME PARALLEL DIMENSION??” they wrote.

Another fan, also in shock, expressed their joy.

“WHAT . IS . HAPPENING!!! Another UPSET WIN,” they wrote.

Among the disbelief and surprise, one fan praised Akula for her incredible strokes that left her Chinese opponent "baffled.”

“Sreeja Akula beats World No. 2 Wang Yidi in straight Sets!! The Chinese opponent was left baffled at her well-placed counters and fiery Forehand Loops,” they wrote.

Another fan also went to the extent of calling these victories the biggest sporting achievement for the country this year.

“For me, this is the biggest sporting achievement for India in 2024,” they wrote.

Here are more fan reactions to Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula’s historic wins at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024:

A look at the tie between India’s women’s team and China at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024

The ITTF tie started with Ayhika Mukherjee beating World No. 1 Sun Yingsha 12-10, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6, giving India the lead.

The second match saw one of India’s most experienced paddlers, Manika Batra, unable to build on the momentum and go down to Wang Manyu 3-11, 8-11, 15-13, 7-11.

With the tie level, Sreeja Akula followed Ayhika’s footsteps and pulled off a big upset, beating World No. 2 Wang Yidi 11-7, 11-9, 13-11, giving India the lead once again.

In the fourth match, Manika Batra lost to Sun Yingsha 3-11, 6-11, 13-11, 9-11. The decider saw Ayhika Mukherjee lose the final match to Wang Manyu 9-11, 11-13, 6-11. India narrowly lost the tie, 2–3.