Branka Batinić, born in 1958, attacker in style, was in female table tennis equally attractive fighter as in male table tennis Dragutin Šurbek was. In European table tennis she was the forerunner of new marveously athletically prepared generations of present players. Branka Batinić, short but with huge heart, played (and is still playing today!) at half distance, at that time she was physically the most capable and best prepared player of her time - physically prepared in a manner that only Chinese top players are prepared nowadays. Branka, an universal talent, played in training camps against men not only table tennis,

but she even sometimes managed to outplay them in soccer as well! She was born in Vinkovci, eastern part of Croatia, where she began to play table tennis, in 1973 she came to Zagreb to play in HASTK Mladost Zagreb which has been since then and is even now one of the best European clubs, after that she went to German Bundesliga as a coach-player. She has been working as a coach, with some breaks, in different clubs up to now. Branka Batinić has won 3 silver and 3 bronze medals in European Championships. Together with Dragutin Šurbek she won bronze medal in mixed doubles in World Championships in 1981. She won gold medal three times with Yugoslav national women team in European superleague. She achieved her best result in Europa Top 12 tournaments in 1986 winning fourth place. Two special successes were winning gold medals in Yugoslav International Championships in 1975 and 1984. Best Chinese and Asian women players were playing in these tournaments, just as in World Championships. Branka Batinić was so very popular that she was twice declared a sportswoman of the year in Yugoslavia and  twice in Croatia. It was pure delight to watch her play. Together with today´s star Tamara Boroš, Branka Batinić is the best what Croatian table tennis has ever had.

Branka has continued her successful sports career in veteran competition. After winning a silver medal in singles in the World Veteran Championships in Yokohama in 2006, Branka won two gold medals in Bremen 2006 - she has become world champion in singles and doubles.

Branka is not successful only in table tennis - she graduated economy at the University of Zagreb and then got M.S. in economics (MBA).