With the Asian Games around the corner, the Indian women paddlers have been working hard for some time now. The expectations are huge after their rich medal haul at the Commonwealth Games (CWG).
“Expectations add to pressure, so we don’t want to harp on that and mess it up at the Games. We are focussed and our only aim is to reach the quarterfinals,” says Manika Batra, the poster girl of Indian table tennis.
Why only the quarters? “Frankly speaking, Indian women have not gone that far over the years but we would like to do that. If we play the way we did at Gold Coast then I think anything is possible,” adds India’s quadruple medallist at the Commonwealth Games in an exclusive chat with The Hindu here on Sunday.
She says the team is jelling well. “There’s a lot of bonding and togetherness, which is quite important. We will be heading to China as well in a few days so we can come together once again and device a plan to take on the best in Asia.”
The country’s top paddler is among the few who effectively uses the long-pimpled rubber to her advantage. She twiddles quickly between points and confuses even the best outside India.
“Initially, I found it hard to twiddle but now it comes easy,” she says.
Talking about the pressure situation at the Asiad, Manika says, “Everybody goes through it, including the great Sharath Kamal. But, Sachin Tendulkar gave me a few tips on how to handle it. He asked me to stay as calm as possible, and it’s helping me.”
The 23-year-old is planning new strategies for the Asiad. “Quite a few have had a close look at my style of play. Now, they will come prepared for the Games. So, I need to work on something new.”
Manika says the CWG was just the beginning. “You can see the best of me in a few years from now.”
