&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Commonwealth TT Championships 2026: Sreeja Akula outlasts Syndrela Das to reach singles final")
India’s Sreeja Akula beat her compatriot Syndrela Das 4-3 in a pulse-pounding semifinal on Sunday (Aug 2) at the ongoing 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi. Akula, who had earlier won a gold medal, faced a stern challenge from her doubles teammate but managed to stay ahead to qualify for the singles final.
A Seven-Game Thriller
The two fierce competitors brought their A-games to this thrilling semifinal, with Syndrela taking home the first game 11-9, looking set and comfortable in her approach and technique. But that wasn’t enough to keep the superstar Akula down for long, as Sreeja bounced back in the second game to win it 11-8 and level the scores.
The two top contenders, who have enjoyed stellar runs in the lead-up to this knockout match, used their experience and table skill to challenge one another with each passing point.
The process continued as Syndrela won the third game 13-11 before Akula again bounced back to level the match at 2-2 with an 11-7 victory. The competition was tight, and neither was ready to bow down. As the match entered the fifth game, it became tense yet exciting.
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Sreeja finally broke through and won back-to-back games for the first time in this crucial semifinal, winning the fifth game 11-6. With that, she took a 3-2 lead. Although leading at that point, she needed to win at least one more game to win the match, but Syndrela made her wait for that.
WATCH -
Upbeat about turning the tables, Syndrela produced a stunning show to come from behind and level the match 3-3, with an 11-8 win in the sixth game.
With one game left and all on the line, the two table tennis stars began aggressively, seeking an early advantage in the seventh and decisive game. Even though Syndrela gave Sreeja a tough time in the middle, she failed to restrict her, as Sreeja beat Syndrela 11-9 in the final game to win the match 4-3 and qualify for the final.
