Indian paddler Sreeja Akula has stormed into the Round of 16 after defeating Singapore’s Jian Zeng in the women’s singles Round of 32 table tennis match at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Akula secured her victory with a 4-2 (9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, 10-12, 12-10) win in a match that lasted 51 minutes at the South Paris Arena.
Initially, Zeng dominated the first two games, but Akula showcased resilience and skill, taking control in the third and fourth games. Despite Zeng’s comeback in the fifth game, Akula maintained her composure to clinch the match in the sixth game.
Akula’s advancement to the Round of 16 marks her as only the second Indian table tennis singles player to reach this stage at the Olympics.
Earlier in the competition, on Sunday, Sreeja Akula had a decisive victory over Sweden’s Christina Kallberg in the Round of 64, winning 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, and 11-8. Akula’s performance in her Olympic debut demonstrated her prowess as she quickly gained a 9-2 lead in the opening game and continued to dominate throughout the match.
