Manika Batra’s dream run ends at Saudi Smash quarters; Indian paddler loses to Hina Hayata
Indian paddler loses to Japanese world No. 5 Hina Hayata 4-1 in the quarter-finals of the WTT event in Jeddah.
Manika Batra and Hina Hayata shook hands at the end of the fourth game, with neither realising that best-of-five contests had made way for best-of-seven from the quarter-finals of the Saudi Smash. Thirteen points later when the match eventually did end, the world No. 5 Japanese came out a 4-1 winner (7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11, 11-2) over the Indian.
It also marked the end of a defining tournament in Manika's career, which had thus far been headlined by medals at the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games and the 2022 Asian Cup. Deep runs in WTT events in singles though had eluded her, until she delivered her best result — by any Indian women’s singles paddler for that matter — this week in Jeddah at the Saudi Smash (Smash events are the highest on the WTT tour).
The quarter-final finish not only gives the world No. 39 a shot in the arm in this Olympic year, but also 350 ranking points that will push her into the world's top 25. It will be a new career-high ranking for Manika that will also make her the India No. 1 again, a tag that is presently with the 38th-ranked Sreeja Akula.
Manika displayed a high level this week, her movement and variety in shot-making standing out in victories over Chinese world No. 2 Wang Mayu (3-1) and 14th-ranked German Nina Mittelham (3-0). She carried that into her last-eight clash with the left-handed Hayata, a player she had beaten before but not in their previous meeting. After splitting the first 10 points, Manika marched ahead. A fast forehand made it 9-6 before a clever serve variation brought her to game point.
Soon, however, the Japanese began to figure out Manika's variations, reading her shots off the long pimped backhand and twiddling and turning ways a lot better. That she is a southpaw also blunted Manika's strengths. Between the second and third games, Hayata won 14 of the 18 points.
The best-of-seven battle meant Manika had time to stage a comeback. But so rattled was the Indian, and so commanding the Japanese, that Manika began missing shots she was easily making in the first game. A brief two-point lead for 7-5 after a timeout in the fourth game gave Manika hope before Hayata levelled it up at 8-8. After both players saved a game point each only for the Japanese to take the fourth game, Manika, who thought the match was done, seemed to have checked out from the contest anyway.
