The upcoming Asian Games will be challenging, says Indian TT player Sreeja Akula

Ready: Two-time Senior National Table Tennis Champion Akula Sreeja with his mentor-cum-coach Somnath Ghosh. | Photo: Special Arrangement

Two-time women’s singles champion Akula Sreeja said that unlike the Commonwealth Games where she won the historic mixed doubles gold with Sharath Kamal last year, the upcoming Asian Games would be really tough and different challenges.

However, 24-year-old Sreeja said the Indian team would be unique because of the different style and tactics of each player and also the rubbers they use.

The first goal is to create as much disruption as possible. The aim is to stay focused, be consistent, give my best and extend the fights as long as possible, said the young Hyderabadi, who joined his mentor-cum-coach Somnath Ghosh at the age of 12 with one room (one table). The city’s global table tennis academy.

I am definitely excited and really happy to participate in the Asian Games. Hopefully I can improve my world ranking with some special performances as well. The pre-Asia events should help me a lot too, said Sreeja.

It would certainly be great to come back with an Asian medal at next year’s Paris Olympics. All the top players from China, Japan and Korea will be there, so it won’t be easy at all, he said.

Sreeja believed that his strengths were at their peak, although he is looking to improve his strength and also a much more powerful grip.

Definitely the recent European tour was very long and lost some very close matches against the Asians. So I am aware of areas for improvement.

I try to be fit both mentally and physically. I have to mention the full support of my employers (Reserve Bank of India), parents, UTT Academy coaches, sponsors Dream Sports, Ctrl-S, Raheja and also the state government who have supported me so well, he said.

Special mention must also be made of Somnath Sir (whose fellow trainee SFR Snehit from Hyderabad was named as a reserve for the Asian men’s team). He is the key person in my career. “I’ve been with him for the last 11 years and that’s a very rare combination for that long in any sport,” he said.