Olympics 2024: Indian Men’s Table Tennis Team to Face China in Opener, Manika Batra to Play Teen Prodigy

India’s table tennis teams are set for a challenging debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The men’s squad will open against powerhouse China, four-time gold medalists, while the women’s team faces Romania in the round of 16. This marks India’s first-ever qualification in Olympic team events for table tennis.

In singles competition, 18th-seeded Manika Batra leads India’s charge. The veteran of two previous Olympics will take on British debutante Anna Hursey. Sreeja Akula, seeded 16th, meets Sweden’s Christina Kallberg in her opener.

For the men, Sharath Kamal makes history with his fifth Olympic appearance, facing Slovenia’s Deni Kozul. Harmeet Desai starts in the preliminary round against Jordan’s Zaid Abo Yaman, with a potential matchup against world No. 5 Felix Lebrun of France looming.

The Paris Olympics table tennis events run from July 27 to August 10 at the South Paris Arena. Five disciplines will be contested: men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, and men’s and women’s team events.

China enters as the dominant force, having claimed every men’s team gold since the event’s 2008 introduction. India aims to make its mark on the global stage in this highly competitive field.