HIGHLIGHTS

• Manika’s defeat marks the end of the Indian challenge in women’s singles
• Polcanova hardly ever ceded control, even limiting Manika to two points in the second game
• The match on the whole lasted just 27 minutes

Manika Batra was brushed aside by Austrian world No.17 Sofia Polcanova in the third round of women’s singles table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics. With Sutirtha Mukherjee also getting knocked out earlier in the day, Manika’s straight game defeat marks the end of the Indian challenge in women’s singles in Tokyo.

Polcanova hardly led Manika get any control throughout the match and ended up winning 11-8, 11-2, 11-5 and 11-7. While Manika managed to get eight points in the first game, Polcanova raced to a 11-2 win in the second. Manika started the third game well but the Austrian wrestled control yet again to limit the Indian to five points. While Manika’s previous match lasted 57 minutes, her game against Polcanova lasted just 27.

Manika came into the match after a remarkable win over Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska in the second round. Manika won the match 4-3 (4-11, 4-11, 11-7, 12-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7) in 57 minutes. She came from two games down and then forced the match into a seventh game, thus sealing herself a spot in the third round at the Olympics.