Sreeja Akula achieved the highest ranking for an Indian table tennis player at world No. 22

Sreeja Akula achieved the highest ranking for an Indian table tennis player at world No. 22 in women’s singles after an impressive campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) updated the rankings on Tuesday.

At Paris 2024, Akula defeated Christina Kallberg of Sweden, then ranked world No. 58, with a 4-0 victory in the round of 64. She then bested Zeng Jian of Singapore, ranked 52nd, with a scoreline of 4-2 in the round of 32.

Akula and Manika Batra became the first Indian table tennis players to reach the round of 16 at the Olympics in individual events. However, Akula was defeated 4-0 by world No. 1 Yingsha Sun of China in the round of 16.

Akula climbed three places from her previous ranking, while Batra also rose three places to rank 25th. Akula’s previous career-best was world No. 24, achieved after winning the WTT Contender Lagos in June.

Batra advanced to the pre-quarterfinals at Paris 2024 after upsetting France’s Prithika Pavade, then ranked world No. 18, with a 4-0 victory in the round of 32. She lost to eighth-seeded Japanese player Miu Hirano 4-1 in the round of 16.

Sreeja and Manika are the only Indian table tennis players to reach the top 25 in women’s singles rankings. Tokyo Olympian Sutirtha Mukherjee is the next-best Indian women’s singles player, ranked world No. 84.

Sutirtha and Ayhika Mukherjee are India’s top pair in women’s doubles, ranked world No. 17.

Sharath Kamal dropped one place to be India’s top-ranked men’s singles player at 41st. Manav Thakkar is the next best Indian men’s singles player at world No. 59, followed by Sathiyan Gnanasekaran at 64th. Harmeet Desai is 87th.

India’s highest-ranked men’s doubles pair is Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, ranked world No. 16. Diya Chitale and Manush Shah are the top Indian mixed doubles pair, also ranked world No. 16.