Sreeja Akula: India's Rising Table Tennis Star on the Road to Paris Olympics

Sreeja Akula, India's top-ranked women's table tennis player, attributes her mental and physical strength improvements over the last two years to her recent successes. She aims to maintain this momentum for the Paris Olympics, having already created history by winning a WTT Contender singles title and reaching a career-high ranking.

Sreeja Akula, India's top-ranked women's table tennis player, attributes her recent string of victories against higher-ranked opponents to significant enhancements in her mental and physical strength over the last two years. As she gears up for the Paris Olympics, Akula remains determined to carry forward her winning streak.

Last week, Akula made history by becoming the first Indian table tennis player to claim a WTT Contender singles title. She cemented her status further by achieving a career-high ranking of 24, officially becoming the country's leading paddler.

"Over the last two years, I've focused intensely on improving my mental toughness, which I believe is my biggest area of improvement," Akula revealed in an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis. She added that enhancements in her strength and conditioning regime have not only made her more agile on the table but also helped prevent injuries.

Additionally, Akula has targeted her first-ball attack against push shots, striving for more consistency in this area. "This focused approach has significantly improved my game," she said.

Set to compete in both team and individual events, Sreeja exudes confidence. ''Although it will be my debut Olympic Games, I feel well-prepared and aim to create as many upsets as possible," she said. Both Indian men's and women's teams have historically qualified for the team events at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Sreeja's accolades include a mixed doubles gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with Sharath and multiple titles in 2023, including defeating World No. 2 Wang Yidi of China. She kicked off 2024 with a victory at the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi and continued her impressive run by winning another singles title in Beirut.

In Lagos, she defeated up-and-comer Ding Yijie in the singles final and, alongside Archana Kamath, clinched a doubles title. Akula credits the Ultimate Table Tennis experience for her comprehensive development.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)