Sreeja Akula stated that her biggest lesson from the sport is never becoming passive when you're leading. played a crucial role in helping Jaipur Patriots reach the semi-final in the ongoing Ultimate Table Tennis. Divyanshi then recollected how she started falling in love with table tennis
Sreeja Akula (Pic: File Pic)
The 15-year-old table tennis sensation Divyanshi Bhowmick received words of inspiration from Olympic star Sreeja Akula on the sidelines of the recently concluded UTT Juniors.
Speaking about playing in the Dream UTT Juniors, Divyanshi said, "Getting to see the top players up close, training with them, and having you play right in front of me, it was incredible". She is currently ranked third in the U-15 category.
When asked about her toughest experiences on the table, Sreeja recollected the quarter-final match in the Commonwealth Games.
"I've had several challenging matches that taught me different lessons. In the Commonwealth Games, I was almost on the verge of losing my quarter-finals against Mo Zhang. I kept reminding myself to focus on each point, not the scoreline," she said.
"Then, in the Paris Olympics against Sun Yingsha, I had a 10-5 lead in the first two games but the situation was completely different," she added.
Further, she stated that her biggest lesson from the sport is never becoming passive when you're leading.
"My biggest lesson from the Olympics was never becoming passive when leading. I was just trying to keep the ball on the table instead of playing aggressively. My advice to young athletes would be to believe in yourself, trust the process and your team, and keep pushing hard," said the 26-year-old.
Sreeja played a crucial role in helping Jaipur Patriots reach the semi-final in the ongoing Ultimate Table Tennis.
Divyanshi then recollected how she started falling in love with table tennis. She said that her family brought a table for their house during lockdown, and after practising for days, she started winning, and her love towards the sport started increasing.
"We got a table for our house during lockdown, and I'd spend the whole day practising with my dad and sister. As I kept playing, I fell in love with the sport, and then I started winning," she said.
Both athletes spoke highly about the Dream Sports Foundation's impact on their careers. Sreeja Akula, who has been supported since 2021, reflected, "The support came at exactly the right moment when I was seeking sponsorship... It wasn't just financial help - they connected me with a dietician, mental trainer, and gave me exposure through international tournaments."
Later, the 15-year-old athlete said that her goal is to win an Olympic medal for India and make the cut in the top 10 rankings.
"My long-term goal is winning an Olympic medal for India and breaking into the world's top 10. We're putting in the work every single day." Sreeja's response was filled with encouragement: "With your style of play, you'll definitely make it happen," said Divyanshi.
(With ANI Inputs)
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