Sreeja Akula clinches maiden international title at WTT Feeder Corpus Christi

Sreeja Akula secured her first international title at the WTT Feeder Corpus Christi 2024, defeating USA's Lily Zhang in a thrilling women's singles final on Thursday night. The 25-year-old Indian triumphed with a scoreline of 11-6, 18-16, 11-5, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Sreeja's journey to the title included a notable victory over top-seeded Amy Wang in a quarterfinal that went down to the wire, ending 3-2 (11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9). In the semifinals, she faced another tough challenge against Jiangshan Gao, leading 2-1 before a gripping encounter saw her secure a 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9 win to enter the final.

Expressing her joy, Sreeja stated to PTI, "I am immensely pleased, and my efforts got me where I wanted to be. It’s my maiden international title, and I have earned it after two close calls in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the tournament."

This victory not only adds a feather to Sreeja's cap but also enhances the prospects of the Indian Women’s team qualifying for the Olympic Games 2024. Sreeja emphasized the importance of this win for her qualification in the singles event.

Looking ahead, she sees this title as a confidence booster for her preparations leading to the Paris Olympics and future tournaments. Sreeja expressed gratitude to her family, coach Somnath Ghosh, support staff, and sponsors, concluding with optimism about her future endeavors in the world of table tennis.