Manika to play Britain's Hursey, Sharath to take on Slovenia's Kozul

Ace Indian paddler and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Manika Batra will take on Great Britain's Anna Hursey in the women's singles opening round, while veteran men's player Achanta Sharath Kamal will clash with Deni Kozul of Slovenia on July 27, according to the draws announced on Wednesday.

Manika, who is seeded 18th at the Games here, had become the first women's table tennis player from India to make it to the round of 32 in singles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

In other opening round matches, Harmeet Desai will take on Abo Yaman of Jordan in men's singles, while 25-year-old Sreeja Akula, seeded 16th, will open her campaign against Swedish player Christina Kallberg.

Commonwealth Games champion Sharath Kamal is spearheading a six-member Indian table tennis contingent with the 41-year-old all set to make his fifth appearance at the Olympics. Manika, on the other hand, will play at her third successive Games.

Gnanasekaran Sathiyan, a member of India's gold medal-winning men's .