Manika Batra, Sutirtha Mukherjee take a bow

Indian table tennis players Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee bowed out in the women’s singles quarterfinals WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 in Panjim on Friday, ending India’s campaign in the Panjim encounter.

Both Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee beat higher-ranked opponents in their Round of 32 matches on Thursday but failed to produce a repeat performance at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium on Friday.

India’s top women’s series Table tennis player Manika Batra, ranked 34th in the world, fell in the evening session 1-3 (6-11,3-11,11-9,11-7) to Chinese world number 20 Qian Tany.

“I’m done with my tournament. I think I just gave my best in this tournament. But winning and losing are part of every sportsperson’s life. I’ve learned many things from my game. I’m just working on it and just giving 100 percent. I’m working hard for the next tournament in my home country, Manika Batra said after the match.

Earlier in the day, Manika Batra’s fellow Tokyo Olympian Sutirtha Mukherjee, currently ranked 146th in the world, made it to the last 16 against 19th-ranked Fu Yu of Portugal. The veteran, who has a pen grip, cruised to a 3-0 (11-5,11-7,11-5) win over the Indian TT player to advance to the quarter-finals.

This was Sutirtha’s second loss to Fu Yu after a second round loss to the same opponent at Tokyo 2020.

Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee in women’s singles were the only remaining Indian contenders at Star Contender Goa – the first WTT event held in India.

WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 ends on 5th March.