Defending champion Manika Batra is India's big bet at CWG 2022

Gunning for glory, defending champion Manika Batra is one of India's strongest contenders for gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The 27-year-old Indian paddler was the highlight of India’s show at Gold Coast 2018. Batra scripted history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to win gold in a singles event at the marquee competition. At Gold Coast, the Indian Table Tennis contingent won 8 medals, out of which Manika won 4, including gold in single and team events.

By the virtue of being India’s highest-ranked women’s table tennis player, Batra qualified for this year’s CWG. She attained her career-high singles ranking of 38, earlier this year.

At Tokyo 2020, the Delhi-based player became the first Indian paddler to reach the 3rd round of the women’s singles event at the Olympics. Since then, the Arjuna Awardee has won medals at WTT Contender Budapest 2021, Doha 2022 (mixed doubles), then won WTT Contender Lasko 2021, Doha 2022 (women’s doubles).

The Indian ace will now look to replicate her success at Birmingham 2022.

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