Manika Batra credits positive mindset for comeback win in Ultimate Table Tennis
After a difficult start to her Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) campaign, India's top female paddler Manika Batra appears to have regained her form. On Saturday, she defeated French left-hander Prithika Pavade 3-0 to help her team, Ahmedabad APL Pipers, secure a comfortable victory over PBG Pune Jaguars. The match was played at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium.
This win was significant for Batra, as she had lost to Pavade in the pre-quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics last year, ending India's deepest-ever run in Olympic singles table tennis. Batra's victory marks a turnaround after she began the season with three consecutive losses before registering her first win against Zeng Jian on Friday.
Reflecting on her performance, Batra, 31, said she has learned to handle expectations better over time. “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,” she said. “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.”
Batra acknowledged that expectations are constant, regardless 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 early losses to younger players like Sayali Wani and Syndrela Das, Batra expressed satisfaction with the rising standard of Indian table tennis. “They are improving a lot and playing with confidence. Beating me is also an expectation and an achievement for them. If youngsters in India are playing with that confidence, it is only good for Indian table tennis,” she said.
Batra credited her improved performance against Pavade to learning from previous matches 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 support of her personal coach, Aman Balgu, who was present on the Pipers bench as the team physio. “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.”
Batra highlighted the role of the UTT league in nurturing young Indian talent. “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. When I started playing UTT, it helped me as well. The league continues to be an important platform for Indian table tennis.”
