"manika-batra"

Manika returned to beat 94th-ranked Tin-Tin Ho of Britain 4-0 in her singles opener while Sutirtha made a strong impression on her Olympics debut with a come from behind 4-3 win against 78th-ranked Linda Bergstrom of Sweden.

Manika wasted no time and won the match in four straight games 11-7, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9 in exactly 30 minutes. Indian paddler never seemed fazed by Tin-Tin Ho during the whole match.

The mixed pair of A. Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra that won a bronze in Jakarta Asian Games run into the left-right combination.

Veteran Sharath Kamal will be representing India in his fourth Olympics while Manika Batra in her second.

The campaign featuring boxers MC Mary Kom and Vikas Krishan Yadav along with table tennis player Manika Batra was shot in Pune and Patiala during the training sessions of the athletes.

Sharath and Manika had already secured their singles berth on Thursday and will now also compete as a doubles pair at the delayed Tokyo Games

Manika, ranked 63 in women's singles, beat Chinese Taipei's Hsien-Tzy Cheng 3-0. Manika held her own to beat her opponent in straight sets 11-5, 11-9, 11-9. The 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist will face Japanese world No. 3 Mima

She will now take on Russia’s Mariia Tailakova in the final round.

The 22-year-old paddler is elated at the maiden national medal.