Sreeja Akula has achieved her career best ranking of 40 after clinching the WTT Feeder Beirut. With 2 titles in just 3 months, 2024 has been a good year for the young Indian paddler. But the youngster remains ever determined and has turned her attention for the Paris Olympics 2024. Ahead of the mega tournament, she is keen to keep herself injury free and build on her mental strength conditioning. In an exclusive interview with InsideSport, she went on to dive into the details of her triumphs in Beirut.
Sreeja Recounts Her journey in WTT Feeder Beirut
It was an amazing tournament for me. I played an Indian in the pre quarterfinal I played Archana Kamath. That match was really tough match for me, because we know each other’s game very well. We have been playing with each other in Indian camps and also in the domestic tournaments. My coach couldn’t sit for that match, because we’re playing against Indian and international. So it was just me playing there on the court.
In the next round, I had to play a Chinese Taipei player that I can say that was the toughest match for me. I was trailing one, two, and even the fourth set, I was trailing. But I was able to manage to win the fourth set. And then fifth set I was was a really amazing match for me, I played one of the best games of my life so far in that match.
In the finals she started off the match very aggressively, which I did not expect. She was very aggressive in the first set. But my coach was there he advised me to slow down the pace and start receiving close to the net. I think that advice has helped me a lot. And I was able to win the titles with my with the help of the advice of my coach.
After winning the Corpus Christi and the Beirut singles, she has now reached her career high of World Number 40 ranking. But that is not the end, it just the starting. The young paddler is determined to work hard even more to make it to the top 10 in the World.
“Yes, I always aspire to be the top in the world rankings. So I was very happy to enter the top 50. And within a span of one month, I could enter the top 40. So just go step by step. My next aim would be to enter the top 30 and then 20s. I know it’s going to be really difficult, but I’ll just try to give my best in this work on it,” claimed Sreeja.
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Mission Olympics Cell Sanctions Training in Chinese Taipei
Recently, the Mission Olympics cell has sanctioned a 12 day training for Sreeja and other athletes in Chinese Taipei. This would be the first time that Sreeja would be training abroad. She is determined to work on her strength and conditioning, in the camp.
“I have never trained outside. So my coach will also be there to guide me my coach and physio will also. So it’s just a 12 day Training Plan. And then from there, I’ll be going to participate in World Cup in Macau. Before the Olympics, I don’t want to train abroad, I just want to train in Hyderabad. So this is going to be just one training camp in Taipei. I’ll focus more on training and also it’s very important for me to stay injury free in the next few months. I’ll try to improve on my strength and conditioning as well,” the World Number 40 added.
Sreeja Ready to target medal in Paris Olympics
However, the aim remains for a medal in the Paris Olympics. She bagged the gold in Commonwealth Games mixed doubles with Sharath Kamal, but in Olympics, Sreeja is targeting her strength. She would like to lead her country to glory and bag a medal in the singles category. Adding more pressure to her, the sky high expectations from her countrymen.
“It is going to be very difficult for everybody to to reach the expectations. But it is important that every Indian player gives their best. I think level of Indian Table Tennis is really high now as we have defeated the Chinese. So I can say anything is possible for Indians now. But the most important is that we just go there play freely not think about the result,” she concluded.
Sreeja is trying very hard to get the accreditation for her coach for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024. She would be hugely indebted if the IOA could help her in the process.
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