I take everyone as my supporter, that mindset has helped me: Manika Batra

Manika Batra of Ahmedabad APL Pipers serves during a Tie 14 match between Ahmedabad APL Pipers and PBG Pune Jaguars at the Ultimate Table Tennis 2026, in Panaji, Goa. | Photo Credit: PTI After enduring a frustrating start to her Ultimate Table Tennis campaign, Manika Batra finally appears to have rediscovered her rhythm. The country’s most celebrated female paddler produced her most assured performance of Season 7, blanking French southpaw Prithika Pavade 3-0 on Saturday (July 18, 2026) to guide Ahmedabad APL Pipers to a comfortableVictory over PBG Pune Jaguars. The victory was particularly significant for Manika, who had suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Pavade in the pre-quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics last year, ending India’s deepest-ever run in Olympic singles table tennis.It also marked a continuation of her revival after opening the season with three successive defeats before registering her maiden win against Zeng Jian on Friday (July 17). Reflecting on finally finding her touch, Manika admitted that dealing with expectations has become easier with experience. “People expect me to win every match because I have been at that level for a long time. Earlier, I used to think about that pressure, but now I see it positively,” Manika said at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium. “I take everyone as my supporter, and that mindset has helped me. I am happy that things started falling into place from my third match, and let’s see what happens next.”The 31-year-old insisted that expectations remain constant irrespective of the tournament. “Whether it is UTT, the Nationals or playing for India internationally, the pressure is always there because I want to win. If you want to win, you have to accept that expectation.” Despite losses to youngsters Sayali Wani and Syndrela Das earlier in the league, Manika was pleased to see the next generation challenging the country’s established players.“They are improving a lot and they are playing with confidence. Beating me is also an expectation and an achievement for them. I was really happy with the way Syndrela played against me. If youngsters in India are playing with that confidence, it is only good for Indian table tennis,” she said.Manika credited her improved display against Pavade to learning from previous outings rather than dwelling on them. “I thought about how I had played in the last match and tried to do those things again. I was enjoying my game today, and that made a big difference.”She also acknowledged the role of her personal coach Aman Balgu, whose presence on the Pipers bench, albeit listed as the team physio, has helped steady her campaign. “His guidance helps a lot. Unfortunately, he won’t be there for the next match, but having him here, teaching me and guiding me, has made a big difference.”Manika also highlighted UTT’s role in accelerating the growth of young Indian paddlers. “Players like Syndrela (Das), Divyanshi (Bhowmick), Taneesha (Kotecha) and Sayali (Wani) are improving because they get opportunities to compete against top Indian and foreign players,” she said.“When I started playing UTT, it helped me as well. The league continues to be an important platform for Indian table tennis.” Published - July 19, 2026 01:42 am IST