Alongside manika

Manika Batra: Manika Batra’s dream run in the Paris Olympics has reached its end as India’s first-ever woman to reach the Round of 16 was defeated in the pre-quarterfinal in five games (4-1) by Japan’s Miu Hirano. Despite losing four games, Manika did not seem to be struggling in the game and started in a solid fashion, taking the lead but going on to falter toward the business end of the game. She addressed the leads that were negated by the Japanese and said ‘that really hurt.’

“I was leading and that really hurts because I should have stayed calm in the moment and I was trying to win and I think I lost my calm so I will treat it as a learning lesson and will give it my all in the next Olympics. Now, I will give my all for the team,” Manika told reporters in the post-match interview.

Manika fought well in the first game and was tied at 6-6 before conceding five straight points to lose 11-6. She followed it by taking a 5-1 lead in the second game but again lost the game 9-11. Although the third set was highly promising for Manika which she won 14-12, the Japanese paddler's aggression proved to be too much for the Indian star as she lost the next two games 11-8 and 11-6.