Improvement is a continuous process and I am committed to it, says Manika Batra after achieving career-best ranking

Manika Batra made history when she became the first Indian women’s table tennis player to break into the top-25 in the world when she attained a career-best singles ranking of 24 in the latest ITTF ranking list.

Manika’s meteoric rise is attributed to her stellar run at the Saudi Smash, where she reached the quarterfinals.

In a statement to the media, Manika said the rise in ranking has come at a perfect time, as it adds to her motivation for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. “It is indeed a very proud moment for me. To break into the top 25 and achieve my career-best ranking just months before the Olympic Games is definitely a very potent boost to my preparations. I am truly honoured to have achieved this feat and it is incredibly fulfilling to see all my hard work and efforts pay off,” she said in a statement.

The 28-year-old paddler said she hopes to continue the good work and added that she is committed to continuously improve. “As I look ahead to Paris 2024, I am motivated more than ever to continue this performance and move upwards in the ranking to make my country proud. I really want to thank God for the blessings that helped me to give my best performance at the highest level. Improvement is a continuous process and I am committed to it,” she added.

Before the Saudi Smash, Manika was ranked 39 and was also India’s second-best paddler behind Sreeja Akula. However, with a stellar run in the Saudi Smash, the 28-year-old Khel Ratna awardee jumped 15 ranking spots before she was ousted in the quarterfinals.

Manika, who won multiple gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, beat multiple-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist China’s Wang Manyu, who was seeded second in the Saudi Smash, and also beat World No. 14 Nina Mittelham to reach the quarterfinals.

The Delhi-based paddler became the Indian women’s player to reach the quarterfinals of the Saudi Smash and lost to World No. 5 Hina Hayata of Japan to end her dream run. Her exploits in the tournament earned her 350 points.

Manika Batra is coached by Aman Balgu and Kirill Barabanov of Belarus is her sparring partner.