Magnificent Manika to the fore

Rohit Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20

Manika Batra was the uncrowned queen of India’s campaign at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. The queen should get an Arjuna too, for her name has been recommended for the Arjuna Award.

Of India’s 26 gold at Gold Coast CWG, the ones no one expected were the three won by the table tennis squad. Most Indian gold medallists at Gold Coast won because they enjoyed a clear superiority over the field; but the TT squads achieved their gold by overcoming teams and players that were stronger.

Sushil Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Manu Bhaker and Neeraj Chopra were hailed as India’s biggest stars at CWG. Manika Batra remained in the shadows, despite her four medals, despite beating superior players more than once through CWG.

Manika didn’t lose even one singles match at Gold Coast, beating world No. 4 Tianwei Feng twice — once in the team event, the second time in the individual event.

Manika won two gold, one silver and one bronze at Gold Coast. Realistically, she had expected one — that too silver or bronze — in the women’s team event. But something clicked for her at CWG; she raised her game and was able to carry her team to gold in the team event, then helping herself to another gold in the women’s singles. She also won a silver in women’s doubles with Mouma Das and bronze in mixed-doubles with G Sathiyan.

Top form

Manika’s golden feat in the women’s singles final was very creditable — she beat two Singapore players, both ranked higher than her, in the semifinals and final. Her dismantling of Yu Mengyu in the final was remarkable, a scoreline of 11-7 11-6 11-2 11-7 giving ample indication of how dominant she was. She’d beaten world No. 4 Tianwei Feng in a tough seven-setter in the semifinals earlier in the day, and also played five sets in the mixed-doubles semifinals.

She was exhausted, but she was able to raise her game for the gold medal match; Yu Mengyu’s strategy was to force the pace and attack Manika’s forehand as much as possible, keep the points short. Manika’s strategy was to slow the game down, play a waiting game and attack when she got the chance. Manika’s gameplan worked perfectly.

Right after the final, Manika, waiting for the gold medal to be presented to her, was asked what she felt about TT not being given as much attention as it deserved. “That’s why I won, that’s why I won,” she exclaimed. “TT isn’t that big in India. But when we win medals at the top level, I think it will become more and more popular.”

Manika wanted to win gold to make TT a bigger sport in India. She’s succeeded in the short-term, but she’d have to continue the good work if she wants a long-term success story for TT in India.