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Sreeja Akula Falls to World No. 1 Yingsha Sun in Olympic Pre-Quarterfinals

Indian table tennis player Sreeja Akula faced a formidable opponent in world number one Yingsha Sun of China, suffering a 0-4 defeat in the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s singles competition at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday. Sreeja’s loss ended her impressive run, just hours after she became only the second Indian table tennis player to reach the round of 16 at the Olympics.

Sreeja, India’s top-ranked female paddler, fought valiantly in the first two games, narrowly losing 10-12 in both. Despite her efforts to stay in the match, she was unable to overcome Sun’s dominance, losing the third game 8-11. The fourth game saw Sun assert her superiority, closing out the match with a decisive 3-11 victory in just 38 minutes.

The 25-year-old Sreeja’s achievement of reaching the round of 16 is a significant milestone for Indian table tennis. She follows in the footsteps of Manika Batra, who was the first Indian woman to reach this stage at the Olympics, though she too faced a tough challenge, losing 1-4 to Japan’s Miu Hirano in her own round of 16 match.

Yingsha Sun, the reigning world champion, showcased her exceptional skills throughout the match, demonstrating why she is the favorite for the gold medal in Paris. Sreeja, despite the loss, can take pride in her performance, which highlights the growing presence of Indian table tennis on the world stage.

With her exit, India’s campaign in the women’s singles event comes to an end, but Sreeja’s historic run is expected to inspire a new generation of players. Her strong showing at the Paris Olympics serves as a reminder of her potential and promises more success in the future.

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