Indian Paddler Sreeja Akula Shines at WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024

Indian paddler Sreeja Akula clinched the women’s singles title at the WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 in Beirut, Lebanon. The world no. 47 Indian came from behind to secure a 6-11, 12-10, 11-5, 11-9 victory over the lower-ranked Sarah D Nutte of Luxembourg in the final.

The 25-year-old Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold medalist had previously defeated top seed world no. 36 Suh Hyo Won of South Korea earlier in the tournament. This is Sreeja’s second WTT singles career title, having won the Feeder Corpus Christi in January.

Indian Success in Men’s and Mixed Doubles Events

In the men’s doubles final, the all-Indian pair of Manav Thakar and Manush Shah emerged victorious, defeating compatriots Mudit Dani and Akash Pal with a score of 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6.

The mixed doubles event saw another Indian triumph, with Poymantee Baisya and Akash Pal clinching their maiden mixed doubles crown. They upset the experienced duo of Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Manika Batra with a scoreline of 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-0.

Sathiyan’s Winning Streak Ends

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, who had lifted his first-ever men’s singles WTT title in Beirut last week, saw his 10-match winning streak come to an end. He lost in the men’s singles semifinal to world no. 43 Kirill Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan, with a score of 11-9, 13-11, 11-9.

The WTT Feeder Beirut II 2024 witnessed remarkable performances from Indian paddlers, with Sreeja Akula leading the way with her women’s singles title triumph. The tournament also highlighted the prowess of Indian players in the doubles events, showcasing their talent on the international stage.