India’s Sreeja Akula, on Tuesday, moved up a place in the International Table Tennis Federation world rankings to a career-best 38th spot in women’s singles.
The 25-year-old Akula is now the highest ranked Indian paddler in the world in women’s singles, with the Khel Ratna awardee Manika Batra right below her, occupying the 39th spot.
Batra, who has long been India’s flag bearer in women’s singles, slipped down two places in the recently released rankings and has 526 points. Akula, meanwhile, has 529 points currently.
Akula has enjoyed a fairly successful season so far in 2024, winning the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi – her first-ever title in the circuit – as well as the WTT Feeder Beirut II.
Akula, who had won the mixed doubles gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, had also beaten World No 2 Wang Yidi of China in straight games at the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships in February.
Meanwhile, veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal continues to be the top ranked Indian player in men’s singles and is currently ranked 37th.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, though, jumped up a spot to be placed 60th as India’s second best. He went past Manav Thakkar, who is now ranked 61st. Harmeet Desai slots in at the 64th spot.