Hyderabad’s Akula Sreeja, a two-time national champion in table tennis, marked a triumphant start to the new season by clinching her first-ever international trophy at the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi.
In an impressive display of skill, Sreeja dominated the women’s singles final, defeating USA’s Lily Zhang, ranked 46th in the world, with a decisive 3-0 victory (11-6, 18-16, 11-5) on Thursday night. The final showcased Sreeja’s prowess, particularly in the extended second game, where she secured a win against Zhang on the sixth game point.
Expressing her joy, Sreeja remarked, “I am immensely pleased, and my efforts got me where I wanted to be. It’s my maiden international title, and I have earned it after two close calls in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the tournament. Both (Amy and Lily) were higher-ranked players, and I played well against them.”
Sreeja’s journey to the title was marked by notable victories. In the quarterfinals, she stunned top-seed Amy Wang of the USA in a closely contested match, emerging victorious with a 3-2 scoreline (11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9). Despite Wang’s attempts to level the score, Sreeja maintained composure to secure the crucial points in the deciding set.
In the semifinals, Sreeja faced Jiangshan Gao of the USA and displayed resilience after leading 2-1. Gao mounted a comeback, forcing an extended fourth game at 12-10. However, Sreeja showcased her determination, winning the tight fifth game 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9 to secure her place in the final.
With this remarkable achievement, Akula Sreeja has announced her presence on the international stage and has set the stage for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.