CHENNAI: The EKA Arena in Ahmedabad on June 13 witnessed a match of extraordinary proportions. Sreeja Akula of Jaipur Patriots, and Diya Chitale of Dabangg Delhi were battling it out in the semifinals of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT). Coming into the match, with the tie at 6-6, Sreeja had a clear objective — win two sets and guide her team to the final. But Diya, who is known for her mental fortitude, was not a pushover.
With the match at 1-1 bringing the tie to 7-7, both the paddlers were nervous, said Sreeja. “I could feel a bit nervous when it came to 1-1 and then I had to win one set. I felt that she too was nervous and getting a little bit impatient,” Sreeja narrated the match to this daily before Sunday’s final.
“Then I told myself to just come back. I will just go for the win without any doubt. I think that type of mental attitude helped me manage the pressure,” she added. She went on to win the match 11-9, 6-11, 11-9. The Jaipur bench burst into celebrations, as she walked away from the table with a smile.
That she had lost eight opening games in 10 international tournaments earlier this year makes the win even more important. The UTT came at a good time for Sreeja, as she was keen on making a comeback after an underwhelming start to 2025. She went unbeaten until the final on Sunday, where she was defeated by Bernadette Szocs of U Mumba. “This season (in the UTT) has been amazing for me. I have been able to play good matches at a good level and I'm very happy with my performance and I feel that I'm doing good be it my movements and other things,” she added.
Last year, Sreeja became the first Indian to win at WTT Contenders in Lagos, Nigeria. She had also won the women’s doubles event with paddler Archana Kamath. The good form continued in the Paris Olympics, where she was eventually defeated by World Number 1 Sun Yingsha of China in the round of 16.
However, a hip stress fracture halted her good run. “It took a toll on me physically and mentally, but I think there were many learnings — to just be patient. I think that sports is all about ups and downs, and it's important for us to maintain ourselves and stay balanced, whatever the result is,” said the 26-year old Arjuna awardee from Hyderabad.
The UTT has given Sreeja a perfect platform for a comeback and the paddler is keen to make it count in the forthcoming tournaments this year. “Firstly, I would like to be fit and be wise in my selection of tournaments. So the most important tournaments are the three Smashes in the United States, Europe, and China,” she added.
If Sreeja's good form continues in the said tournaments, it would be a big boost not only for her but for the Indian table tennis team as well just before the Asian Games next year.