Indian paddler Manika Batra reached the semifinals after another upset victory at the 33rd ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup in Bangkok on Thursday.
The top-ranked Indian women’s singles player defeated world No 23 Chen Szu-Yu of Chinese Taipei in a match that went the distance.
Batra took a 3-1 lead after dropping the opening game but Chen then fought back to make it 3-3. The Indian then held her nerve to take the decider and defeat Chen for the second time in their sixth meeting. The final score read 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9 in favour of the Indian.
In the round of 16, Batra had continued her brilliant run at the tournament after she had stunned World No 7 Chen Xingtong for one of the biggest match wins of her career.
Batra will now take Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Mima Ito.
A win will guarantee her a medal and a place in the final, otherwise she will be playing the bronze medal playoff. No Indian woman has won a medal at this event before, with Chetan Baboor the solitary Indian to be on the podium at this event.
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