The Indian women's table tennis team, led by Manika Batra, started its Commonwealth Games title defence in emphatic fashion, outclassing South Africa 3-0 in its opening Group 2 tie on Friday.
First on court was the women's doubles duo of Sreeja Akula and Reeth Tennison, who combined well to beat the South African pair of Lailaa Edwards and Danisha Patel 11-7 11-7 11-5 to hand India the lead.
India's Sreeja Akula competes against South Africa's Danisha Jayavant Patel during the women's team table tennis competition at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Friday, July 29, 2022.
(Photo: PTI)
Then reigning Commonwealth Games champion Batra, who became the first Indian table tennis player to win a gold in the women's singles in the last edition, lived upto her billing and thrashed Musfique Kalam 11-5 11-3 11-2 in the first singles match.
"It was not too tough, we went in as if to play our best to prepare for the next round," said Manika after the match.
"I always go into a tournament thinking that is a new tournament and whatever happened in the previous one has no bearing on this. Pressure will always be there, after all, I am a player. But I try to look ahead and keep my focus," she added.
Akula then came back and scored a dominating 11-5 11-3 11-6 win over Patel in the second singles to seal the tie for India.
The Indian women will take on Fiji in their second group tie later in the day.
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