At the Europe Smash 2025, Sreeja Akula defeated her countrywoman Manika Batra in a fiercely contested women’s singles Round of 64 match. After a nearly 45-minute five-game thriller, Sreeja prevailed 3-2 (5-11, 11-9, 15-13, 10-12, 11-8). In the first game of the match, both players were tied at 5-5, then Manika took the lead with six straight points. Although the plot of the second game was similar, Sreeja prevailed. Manika was after her countrywoman, but Sreeja evened the playing field.
After saving two game points and defeating her opponent in the third game, Sreeja gained the lead for the first time in the match. Before Sreeja caught up, Manika scored five points in a row in the fourth game. Once again, the score was tied at 10-10 before Manika pushed the game into a final. In the men’s singles, Manav Thakkar advanced to the Round of 32 stage by defeating Hiroto Shinozuka of Japan 3-1 (12-10, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9).
