<keyword id="22155129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Archana-Kamath" source="keywords">Archana Kamath</keyword> gave a brief resistance but that was not enough. India lost 1-3 to technically superior Germany in Wednesday's women's <keyword id="20430495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="table-tennis" source="keywords">table tennis</keyword> team event <keyword id="20288129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="quarterfinals" source="keywords">quarterfinals</keyword> of the <keyword id="20006192" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Paris Olympics" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Paris Olympics">Paris Olympics</keyword>. Indian table tennis campaign ended with the loss. The Indian duo of <keyword id="20614713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sreeja-Akula" source="keywords">Sreeja Akula</keyword> and Archana lost the opening doubles match 5-11 11-8 10-12 6-11 to the German pair of Yuan Wan and Xiona Shan. Sreeja and Archana were holding the fort till the third game, but they lost it in deuce. Thereafter, they lost the match. In the first singles, star Indian <keyword id="20634482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manika-Batra" source="keywords">Manika Batra</keyword> was not at her best, as she won the first game but lost the next three (11-8 5-11 7-11 5-11) against <keyword id="22703030" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Annett-Kaufmann" source="keywords">Annett Kaufmann</keyword> as Germany took 2-0 lead in the tie. It was at this point that Archana gave India a glimmer of hope, as she held off the Germany charge briefly with a 19-17 1-11 11-5 11-9 win over Xiona Shan in the second singles. But in the third singles, Kaufmann blanked Sreeja 11-6 11-7 11-7 to seal the tie for Germany and book a semifinal berth. On Monday, the Indian women's team comprising Manika, Sreeja and Archana had prevailed over higher-ranked Romania 3-2 in a thrilling tie to enter the quarterfinals. On Tuesday, the Indian men's team led by veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal had suffered a 0-3 loss to mighty China in the pre-quarterfinals. Both Manika and Sreeja had scripted table tennis history by becoming the first Indian players to reach the round of 16 in the individual event at the Olympics. The two, however, could not progress beyond that stage, losing to higher-ranked opponents. The Paris Games marked the first time that India competed in the team event at the Olympics. The men's and women's team events in table tennis were introduced at the 2008 Beijing Games.

India loses to Germany 1-3 in women''s TT team event, Indian campaign ends in Paris Olympics

Star player <keyword id="20634482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manika-batra" source="keywords">Manika Batra</keyword> led from the front as <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> prevailed over higher-ranked <keyword id="19986770" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Romania" source="keywords">Romania</keyword> 3-2 in a thrilling tie and made a memorable entry into the <keyword id="20288129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="quarterfinals" source="keywords">quarterfinals</keyword> of the <keyword id="22675317" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="womens-table-tennis" source="keywords">women's table tennis</keyword> team competition at the <keyword id="19916613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris" source="keywords">Paris</keyword> <keyword id="19933819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Olympics" source="keywords">Olympics</keyword> here on Monday. Leading 2-0, India saw Romania fight back to draw level at 2-2 but in the decider, Manika delivered for her side. <keyword id="20614713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sreeja-Akula" source="keywords">Sreeja Akula</keyword> and <keyword id="22155129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Archana-Kamath" source="keywords">Archana Kamath</keyword> started the proceedings with a 11-9 12-10 11-7 win over Adina Diaconu and Elizabeta Samara in a doubles match. Manika made short work of higher-ranked Bernadette Szocs in a 11-5 11-7 11-7 victory as India took a comfortable 2-0 lead in the tie against their fourth-seeded opponents. India are seeded 11th in the competition. In the second singles match however, things did not go in India's favour as Sreeja went down 2-3 (11-8 4-11 11-7 6-11 8-11) to European champion Samara after winning the first game. Sreeja's defeat paved the way for a face-off between Archana and Bernadette and the latter won the first game 11-5, but the Indian bagged the second 11-8 to restore parity. However, Bernadette won the next two games 11-7 11-9 to clinch the match and send the tie to the decider. Manika then blanked Adina 3-0 (11-5 11-9 11-9) to seal the tie in India's favour. India will be up against either the USA or Germany in the quarter-finals. Japan, Poland, France and Thailand are also on the same side of the draw. Last week, both Manika and Sreeja scripted table tennis history by becoming the first Indian players to reach the round of 16 in the individual event at the Olympics. The two, however, could not progress beyond that stage, losing to higher-ranked opponents.

Paris Olympics: Manika-led India beat Romania 3-2 to enter quarterfinals of women's table tennis team event

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s top-ranked <keyword id="20430495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="table-tennis" source="keywords">table tennis</keyword> player <keyword id="20614713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sreeja-Akula" source="keywords">Sreeja Akula</keyword> entered the <keyword id="22577481" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Round-of-32" source="keywords">round of 32</keyword> with a clinical 4-0 win over Sweden's Christina <keyword id="22577480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kallberg" source="keywords">Kallberg</keyword> at the <keyword id="20006192" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris Olympics</keyword> here on Sunday. Sreeja, who had created history by becoming the first Indian paddler to win a <keyword id="22155130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WTT-Contender" source="keywords">WTT Contender</keyword> <keyword id="22314061" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="singles-title" source="keywords">singles title</keyword>, registered a 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 victory in 30 minutes over the Swede. The Indian had little trouble bagging the first set but was stretched in the second, and her rival continued to do that in the next two sets as well. In the third set, Sreeja and Kallberg went neck-to-neck till 7-5, but the Indian found her bearings just in time to pocket it. Sreeja made the early running in the fourth set, taking a 9-3 lead, but a few unforced errors and a couple of good smashes helped Kallberg narrow the lead to 9-7 and then to 10-8. But a powerful unanswered forehand to the right corner of the table propelled Sreeja to the next round. In the other matches of the day, Manika Batra will face Anna Hursey of Great Britain while veteran <keyword id="20440125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sharath-kamal" source="keywords">Sharath Kamal</keyword> will take on <keyword id="22560951" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deni-kozul" source="keywords">Deni Kozul</keyword> of Slovenia.

Paris Olympics: India's top-ranked table tennis player Sreeja Akula outclasses Kallberg, enters Round of 32

As the Olympic Games draw to a close, the spotlight not only shines on the athletes competing for glory but also on the transformative role <keyword id="19901571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="keywords">technology</keyword> has played in shaping modern <keyword id="20010841" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sports" source="keywords">sports</keyword> and <keyword id="22746553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="training-methodologies" source="keywords">training methodologies</keyword>. Over the past few years, <keyword id="20142309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="innovations" source="keywords">innovations</keyword> such as <keyword id="20624226" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wearable-devices" source="keywords">wearable devices</keyword>, <keyword id="22746554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="performance-analytics" source="keywords">performance analytics</keyword>, and <keyword id="19948295" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="virtual-reality" source="keywords">virtual reality</keyword> have revolutionised how athletes prepare for competition, enhancing their training regimens and optimising performance. The intersection of sports and technology is dramatically altering the landscape. From advanced sensors that track physiological metrics to smart equipment that provide real-time feedback, technology has become an integral part of an athlete's toolkit. "Technology fits like a glove in the macro fabric of the modern-day ecosystem of sports performance analysis. It empowers young athletes and coaches by democratising access to pro-level analysis and tools, which helps nurture grassroots talent and instill a sense of competitiveness by providing insights that were traditionally available only to top-tier athletes," said Sudeep Kulkarni, founder and CEO, Game Theory. The sports industry is increasingly leveraging the power of <keyword id="19904566" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence" source="keywords">artificial intelligence</keyword> (<keyword id="19899640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="keywords">AI</keyword>) to transform the way performance is analysed and outcomes are predicted, he said. Athletes can practice against virtual opponents and mimic game circumstances using augmented reality (AR), which aids in developing rapid decision-making under pressure. Stupa Sports Analytics, a sports technology firm based out of Gurugram, recently provided analytics support to the Indian table tennis team at a preparatory camp for the Paris Olympics, which included performance analytics, rally analysis, and AI insights for both players and coaches. "The data helped in articulating strategies to play against the world's best players. Prominent players like Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakker, Manika Batra, Archana Kamath, and Sreeja Akula benefited from these insights, enhancing their preparation and performance," said Megha Gambhir, CEO and co-founder, Stupa Sports Analytics. Augmented Reality (AR) is also enhancing the spectator experience. AR solutions allow fans to access additional information about players and stats during live events. A report from the Capgemini Research Institute revealed that nearly 70 per cent of respondents surveyed (10,000) said that emerging technologies have enhanced their overall viewing experience, both inside and outside the stadium. Emerging technologies are undeniably the future of sports, and at the forefront of this golden era are tech startups. The integration of technology in sports through startups is reshaping how athletes train, compete, and engage with fans. These startups are driving innovation and setting new standards in the sports industry. Founder and general partner at Centre Court Capital, a gaming and sports tech VC, Mustafa Ghouse said sports tech startups are increasingly becoming target sectors for venture capital due to the vast potential for innovation and growth in the sector. "In India, the interest is becoming more pronounced, particularly in niche areas of sports technology. In the last three years, India saw investments of USD 1.2 billion in sports tech. India is also the 3rd largest funded country in sports tech after the US between 2018 through 2022 followed by China," he said. Indian sports tech startups are starting to attract attention from global investors alongside domestic investors, Ghouse added. "The increasing allocation of media rights and the surge in digital consumption of sports content are driving demand for advanced tech requirements. This, coupled with the proliferation of smart devices and internet connectivity, sets a fertile ground for sports tech startups to flourish and draw substantial investment," he said.

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India loses to Germany 1-3 in women''s TT team event, Indian campaign ends in Paris Olympics

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Paris Olympics: Manika-led India beat Romania 3-2 to enter quarterfinals of women's table tennis team event

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Paris Olympics: India's top-ranked table tennis player Sreeja Akula outclasses Kallberg, enters Round of 32

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Tech innovations, AI changing the game for modern sports, training methodologies

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