Indian Table Tennis star Sreeja Akula defeated Sarah De Nutte in the final of the WTT Feeder Beirut II at the Al Kawthar Secondary School in Lebanon on Sunday night to win the women’s singles title. Sreeja won the match 3-1 (6-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-9) in 33 minutes, taking control of the match from the start and earning her second international title.
Sreeja won her first title this year in January, taking home the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi women’s singles title in Texas, USA. Prior to taking on fellow Indian paddler Archana Kamath, Sreeja easily defeated Cuba’s Daniela Fonseca in the Round of 32 in the run-up to winning her second international title in Lebanon.
In the quarterfinal, up against Chinese Taipei’s world no 63 in the most difficult match of the competition, Sreeja faced Liu Hsing-Yin. The Indian got off to a quick start, winning the first game, but lost the next two to lose the lead. The next two games were easily won by Sreeja, who then showed her tenacious side by giving it her all to win 11–4, 3–11, 7–11, 11–8, and 11–6. She defeated world number 36 Suh Hyo 3-1 in the semifinals to advance to the final.
In the final, Sreeja was on top of her game Sarah De Nutte had to chase the game from the start. Akula played a range of shots to ensure there would be no upsets. Sreeja is slowly becoming a force to reckon with and this win will only add to her confidence.
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