Saudi Smash 2024 Day 4 Results: Rampant Manika Batra enters quarterfinals, doubles campaign comes to halt
World No.39 Manika Batra continued her dream run in the Saudi Smash 2024 as she qualified for the quarterfinals of the women's singles on a day the doubles pairs saw exits in successions.
Batra blanked Germany's World No.14 Nina Mittelham 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in the Round of 16 game. Her serve was spot on in the first game, bagging five points while losing four points on Mittelham's service. Batra picked up five points in a row, the most for any player throughout the three games.
The Indian dominated with her serve in the second game with seven points being snapped in exchange for three for Mittelham. But the German gave a good run of money for the Indian to seal the game with a 2-0 cushion before she wrapped the third game in 22 minutes and 31 seconds.
Manika Batra, who stunned World No.2 Wang Manyu in the round of 32, has peaked in an Olympics year after enduring a tough time in 2023. Manika remains India's last contender at the Saudi Smash after three doubles pairs lost earlier in the day.
Saudi Smash 2024: Harmeet Desai, Yashaswini Ghorpade crash out in quarters
The newly teamed mixed doubles pair of Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade lost to China's World No.1 ranked Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha. Barring the second game, the Indians lacked the composure to match their opponents' dexterous rallies.
Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah fought hard before going down to Lubomir Pistej (Slovakia) and Chan Baldwin (Hong Kong) 2-3 (20-18, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11) in the men's doubles Round of 16.
A similar fight was displayed by the Asian Games bronze medallist duo of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee against Miyu Nagasaki (Japan) and Kim Nayeong (South Korea) in the women's doubles round of 16. The Indians squandered the momentum to seal the game with a 2-1 advantage but Miyu and Kim bounced back well, firing on all cylinders, to snatch the match.
Saudi Smash 2024 Results on Day 4
Women's Singles Round of 16 - Manika Batra (India) beat Nina Mittelham (Germany) 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-7)
Mixed Doubles Quarter-finals - Harmeet Desai/Yashaswini Ghorpade (India) lost to Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha 0-3 (6-11, 10-12, 4-11)
Men's Doubles Round of 16 - Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah (India) lost to Lubomir Pistej (Slovakia)/Chan Baldwin (Hong Kong) 2-3 (20-18, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11)
Women's Doubles Round of 16 - Ayhika Mukherjee/Sutirtha Mukherjee (India) lost to Miyu Nagasaki (Japan)/Kim Nayeong (South Korea) 2-3 (11-6, 9-11, 12-10, 6-11, 8-11)