Table Tennis: Archana Kamath amazes world number 58 in Budapest; Manika, Sreeja are also advancing to quarters

Indian table tennis star Manika Batra and compatriots Archana Kamath and Sreeja Akula won tough wins to reach the eighteen WTT. All Indian players were stretched to the fifth and decisive game.

In 60th place, Batra beat 115-ranked Sabine Winter from Germany 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 13-15, 11-5; world number 134 Kamath shocked Russian Yana Noskova in 58th place in an exhausting ratio of 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-9.

Qualifying Sreeja Akula, in 150th place, played his heart against Swedish defender Linda Bergstorm, who finished 78th and won 11-8, 6-11, 14-12, 2-11, 11-7.

However, Reeth Tennison of India crashed against Szandra Pergel of Hungary in her 32 round. It was a commendable effort from an Indian in 584th place against an opponent in his 76th place after he made the main draw.

G Sathiyan, who had lost his opening match at the Tokyo Olympics, will be in action later in the day alongside Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar.