The 29-year-old, who clinched gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, secured a commanding 4-0 victory against the higher-ranked French player Prithika Pavade in Paris.
Manika recorded 11-9, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 victory against her 19-year-opponent Pavade whose parents were originally from Puducherry before shifting to France in 2003.
By advancing further than the round of 32, Manika has set a new benchmark for Indian women’s table tennis at the Olympic level.
Achanta Sharath Kamal had also reached the round of 32 in men’s singles in the Tokyo Olympics.
Despite being ranked 28th in the world, 10 positions below her opponent Pavade, Manika showcased her skills and determination to secure a spot in the next round.
Manika surpassed her previous best performance from the Tokyo Olympics, where she became the first Indian woman to reach the round of 32 in singles competition.
Prithika, a left-handed player, entered the Olympics following an impressive performance, which included reaching the WTT final for the first time in her career in June. However, she struggled to overcome Manika, who delivered a dominant display throughout the match.
The opening game was closely contested, with both players matching each other point for point. With the score tied at 8-8, Manika forced a backhand error from her younger opponent and sealed the game with a powerful forehand drive that proved too much for Prithika to handle.
Manika maintained her dominance in the second game, quickly establishing a 3-1 advantage. Prithika, determined to stay in the match, battled back to even the score by forcing Manika into making mistakes.
However, Manika’s strategy of targeting Prithika’s backhand proved effective, consistently earning her points. Swiftly, Manika found herself leading 9-6. A series of backhand errors from Prithika sealed the deal, allowing Manika to secure the second game.
Manika dominated the third game, quickly establishing a commanding 3-0 lead as Prithika grappled with her returns, failing to find her rhythm.
Determined to mount a comeback, Prithika unleashed a powerful forehand winner to secure her first point of the game. However, Manika maintained her stranglehold on the match, extending her advantage to 5-1.
The Indian strategically targeted Prithika’s backhand, exploiting her weakness and further solidifying her position at 8-4.
Prithika, who was behind 5-10, managed to make the game competitive by securing four consecutive points. However, Manika required just a single point to seal the game.
Unfortunately for the local favorite, she committed an error by hitting a backhand drive into the net, handing the game and a commanding 3-0 lead to the Indian paddler.
In the fourth game, Manika’s powerful forehand helped her establish a 10-5 advantage, putting her in a position to claim the match with five opportunities.
On the third match point, Prithika faltered, sending her backhand shot into the net, allowing Manika to clinch the victory in just 37 minutes.
