India’s top-ranked paddler Sreeja Akula beat Singapore's Jian Zeng to reach round of 16 at the Paris Olympics 2024. Sreeja on her 26th birthday beat Zeng 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10 to reach pre-quarters.
Sreeja became the second Indian paddler to reach Table Tennis pre-quarters at the Olympics. She joined Manika Batra in achieving the rare feat. On Day 3 of the Paris Olympics 2024, Manika beat world number 18 French player Prithika Pavade to make it to round of 16.
Zeng got the better of Sreeja in the first game, but the 26-year-old was swift enough to stage a fightback. Zeng won the opening game by a 11-9. Sreeja made a comeback in the second round, consistently causing trouble for Zeng whenever she served. The second game was a replica of the first match, with the tables turning in favour of the Indian star. Zeng pulled things back but Sreeja prevailed and won Game 2 by 12-10.
Sreeja dictates terms
Confident after win in Game 2, Sreeja was unstoppable in Game 3 and 4. She started the third game with a clear 4-0 lead and then continued to display aggressive approach. Sreeja won the third game comprehensively by 11-4. She continued to dominate in Game 4 and registered a win by 11-5.
Closely-fought last two games
Game 5 was the most intense round of the entire match, where both stars fought neck-to-neck. Sreeja lost the fifth game by 10-12 to Zeng. Sreeja was adamant about wrapping up the proceedings. She won the final game by 12-10 to reach the round of 16.
Tough match ahead
Sreeja will now face China’s Sun Yingsha in the Round of 16. The match will be played on August 1st at 12:30 AM IST. Yingsha is currently number one in world rankings.
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