Sreeja Akula Climbs To Career-High Ranking, Eyes Paris Olympics 2024 Success

Sreeja Akula, the first Indian table tennis player to win a WTT Contender singles title, has achieved a career-high ranking of 24 and is now India's top paddler.

The 25-year-old aims to maintain her momentum and cause some upsets at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sreeja played a crucial role in helping India qualify for the team event at Paris 2024 and will participate in both team and individual events.

In an interview with Ultimate Table Tennis, Sreeja expressed her confidence in her preparation for her debut Olympic Games. She said, "I just want to play my best in whichever event I am playing and just want to create the maximum number of upsets."

In 2022, she won mixed doubles gold with Achanta Sharath Kamal at her first-ever Commonwealth Games appearance in Birmingham.

Recent Successes and UTT Experience

Sreeja's recent victories include winning the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi 2024 singles title in Texas and another crown in Beirut. She also defeated Chinese player Ding Yijie at the WTT Contender in Lagos before partnering with Archana Kamath to win a doubles title.

Sreeja credits her experience with Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) for her overall development, stating that it provides valuable exposure for Indian players.

Preparations for Paris Olympics

Ahead of the Paris Games, Sreeja has focused on improving her overall fitness and mental conditioning. She believes that working on her mental strength has been particularly beneficial, saying, "I am mentally well prepared to play against any opponent, whoever it is." Additionally, she has worked on strength and conditioning to prevent injuries and enhance agility.

Both Indian men's and women's teams have achieved historic qualifications for the team event at the Paris Olympics. After the Games, Indian paddlers will compete alongside top international stars in Ultimate Table Tennis 2024, taking place in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.