Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula make group stage exits from ITTF World Cup

Star Indian table tennis player Manika Batra and her compatriot Sreeja Akula exited in the second-round group stage after losing against China's Wang Manyu and defending champion Chen Meng respectively at the ITTF World Cup in Galaxy Arena in Macau on Wednesday.

World no. 39 Sreeja lost 1-3 (4-11 4-11 15-13 2-11) to reigning Olympic champion and world no. 4 Meng of China and finished second in Group 4.

Manika also made an exit finishing second after losing 0-4 (6-11 4-11 9-11 4-11) against world no. 2 Manyu of China.

Both the Indian players had earlier won their respective first-round group stage matches on Tuesday.

There are sixteen groups in each of the men's and women's singles competition.

Group stage matches consists of four games, with the ratio of wins and losses determining the final rankings that will further help them to book a berth for the knockout rounds.