Despite losing the first three games of the seven-game final, K. Shamini did not lose her cool.
The unseeded former National champion from Tamil Nadu put on a poker face, raised her game, attacked the corners and inflicted so much pain on Bengal’s young Ankita Das that the third seed began to virtually wince in pain by the fifth game.
The magnificent turnaround brought Shamini the table tennis women’s singles title here on Thursday. And a little later, her unseeded teammate Anthony Amalraj lifted the men’s title with a 4-1 victory over Gujarat’s eighth-seeded Harmeet Desai. Amalraj had jolted the in-form second seed Devesh Karia in the semifinal.
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“Ankita was getting a bit hasty so I knew I needed to be patient,” said Shamini, after the 4-3 victory. “I didn’t play my game at first but later, I just tried to put every ball on the table.”
Shamini, who had packed off National champion Mouma Das in the semifinals, produced some nice backhand jabs and then an occasional a forehand shot that confused Ankita. The third seed was not fast on her feet and that made Shamini’s job easier.
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In sharp contrast, Amalraj was full of noise and energy. He had not won a major title in the last year and a half, had lost his last three encounters against Harmeet and when he won the final, he let out a yell of relief and tore his shirt in celebration.
“I had lost early in the last two Nationals, so I had to prove myself,” said the 28-year-old.
The results (prefix denotes seeding):Men: Final: A. Amalraj (TN) bt 8-Harmeet Desai (Guj) 12-10, 10-12, 14-12, 11-9, 11-3. Semifinals: Harmeet bt 5-Raj Mondal (WB) 4-11, 11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5; Amalraj bt 2-Devesh Karia (Guj) 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8.
Women: Final: K. Shamini (TN) bt 3-Ankita Das (WB) 7-11, 6-11, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6. Semifinals: Shamini bt 1-Mouma Das (WB) 12-10, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7; Ankita bt 7-Madhurika Patkar (Mah) 11-6, 11-7, 14-12, 11-1.