G. Sathiyan lived up to his top billing by dismissing unheralded Arjun Ghosh in the men’s final while second seed Sutirtha Mukherjee brought giant-slayer Sreeja Akula’s run to an end to pocket women’s title at the 11Even Sports National-ranking (Central Zone) table tennis championship, at the Abhay Prashal indoor sports complex on Thursday.
Sathiyan hardly broke a sweat in seeing off the challenge of surprise package Ghosh. The top seed executed the game-plan chalked out by his coach S. Raman to precision as he blunted Ghosh’s strong, heavy forehand.
It resulted in Sathiyan achieving the ideal build-up ahead of Indian team’s departure for the Australian Open next week.
Minutes earlier, in the women’s final, second seed Mukherjee had resisted Sreeja’s spectacular surge through draw. Having accounted for fourth and fifth seeds, Manika Batra and Mousumi Paul, on Wednesday, the teenager had steamrolled top seed Madhurika Patkar in the morning session. However, Sreeja ran out of ideas against Mukherjee, who was tactically and technically much sounder.
Bhanja, Selena reign
The youth boys’ and girls’ finals, both, saw third seeds overcoming top seeds to be crowned champions.
Tamil Nadu’s Selenadeepthi Selvakumar edged Archana Kamath in what turned out to be the closest match of the day.
Ronit Bhanja shocked favourite Manav Thakkar in the most spectacular final, which saw long, flowing rallies all through the six games.
The results: Men: Final: G. Sathiyan (PSPB) bt Arjun Ghosh (WB) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6, 11-2. Semifinals: Sathiyan bt Harmeet Desai (PSPB) 11-5, 6-11, 13-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6; Arjun bt Raj Mondal (WB) 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9.
Women: Final: Sutirtha Mukherjee (WB) bt Sreeja Akula (Tel) 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-4, 12-10). Semifinals: Sreeja bt Madhurika Patkar (PSPB) 11-2, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 1-11, 9-11, 11-9; Sutirtha bt Takeme Sarkar (WB) 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 12-14, 11-6, 11-3.
Youth boys: Final: Ronit Bhanja (WB) bt Manav Thakkar (PSPB) 11-4, 7-11, 13-11, 11-4, 12-14, 14-12. Semifinals: Manav bt Ravindra Kotiyan (RSPB) 11-6, 10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8; Ronit bt Sanish Ambekar (Mah) 11-8, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11.
Youth Girls: Final: Selenadeepthi Selvakumar (TN) bt Archana Kamath (PSPB) 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 11-4; Semifinals: Archana bt Priyadarshini Das 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8; Selenadeepthi bt Moumita Dutta (WB) 11-4,8-11, 10-12, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 .
