I am mentally strong and I’ll remain that way, says Manika Batra

Hours after she ended her second Olympic journey by becoming the first Indian female paddler to win two singles rounds in Olympics, Manika Batra opened up about the last fortnight that has kept her in the headlines, not just for her exploits on the table.
How have the last eight days been?
Overall, it went really well, but not today. If you compare my stint in first Olympics (in 2016), I am — not satisfied, but — really happy with my performance over here. My aim is 2024, so I have to train harder once I return. I am really happy with the way I played against the higher-ranked Ukrainian (Margaryta Pesotska, 20th seed and World No. 32) in the second round.
What went wrong in mixed doubles?
They (Lin Yu Jun and Cheng I Ching) are a real strong opponent. They are World No. 1, were seeded third over here but they are really strong. The boy (Lin) was just way too fast and had a strong ball. He was attacking relentless. We did try and put up our best (but, it wasn’t enough).


