Suhana goes down fighting, claims runners-up spot

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

Haryana’s Suhana Saini went down fighting against Pritha Vartikar of Maharashtra to lose the final of the girls’ sub-junior category in the UTT National Ranking (Central Zone) Table Tennis Championships at the SAG Sports Complex in Bhavnagar, today.

Carrying high hopes, Suhana lost first two games 8-11 9-11 but managed to register a comeback by winning next two games 11-3 11-3. In the fifth game, Suhana started by leading two points but failed to carry the momentum as she lost the game 4-11. Trailing 2-3, Suhana once again proved her mettle as she won the next game 11-5, but despite playing neck to neck rallies she lost the last game 9-11 to lose the final. Earlier, in the semifinals, she defeated Prithoki Chakraborti of West Bengal 11-4 11-4 9-11 11-4 6-11 11-8, while Pritha overpowered Kavyashree Baskar of Tamil Nadu 11-4 11-5 11-13 10-12 11-9 8-11 11-8.

Meanwhile, Suresh Raj Preyesh won the boys’ sub-junior final by registering an emphatic 4-0 win over Tharun Shanmugham. Preyesh proved too good in the all-Tamil Nadu left-handers’ final. Preyesh, with his excellent service variations and clever placing, often caught Shanmugham on the wrong foot. In the semis, he had it rather easy against Divyansh Srivastava of Uttar Pradesh by winning 4-1. But Shanmugham had to fight a bit before subduing Sarth Mishra 4-2.

Priyanuj, Sharvani crowned

In boys’ cadet final, Priyanuj Bhattacharrya displayed perfection as he wound up the season with his second title. He defeated Abhinand of Tamil Nadu 4-1 to take a further step in his fledgling career. In semis, Abhinand had to play extraordinarily to post a 3-2 win against Sudhanshu Maini after trailing 0-2 while Bhattacharrya defeated heavyweight Umesh Kumar 3-1.In girls’ cadet final, Sharvani Nagam of Tamil Nadu made up for her final losses twice over, in the East Zone as well as in the West Zone, when she put it across Diya Brahmachary of West Bengal 4-0 to win her maiden title this season. In the last-four stage matches, Sharvani avenged her title loss in West Zone when she beat the eventual winner Jennifer Varghese of Maharashtra 3-2, while Diya defeated her state mate Nandini Saha 3-2.

Results:

Sub-Junior Boys: Preyesh Raj Suresh bt Tharun Shanmugham 11-6 11-9 11-3 11-8, Semifinals: Preyesh Raj Suresh bt Divyansh Srivastava 11-13 11-5 11-9 11-7 11-6, Tharun Shanmugham bt Sarth Mishra 10-12 11-3 14-12 11-7 8-11 12-10.

Sub-Junior Girls: Pritha Vartikar bt Suhana Saini 11-8 11-9 3-11 3-11 11-4 5-11 11-9; Semifinals: Suhana Saini bt Prithoki Chakraborti 11-4 11-4 9-11 11-4 6-11 11-, Pritha Vartikar bt Kavyashree Baskar 11-4 11-5 11-13 10-12 11-9 8-11 11-8.

Cadet Boys: Priyanuj Bhattacharyya bt PB Abhinand 11-6 11-8 9-11 11-2 11-7, Semifinals: PB Abhinand bt Sudhanshu Maini 12-14 5-11 11-6 11-4 11-6, Priyanuj Bhattacharyya bt Umesh Kumar 11-4 9-11 14-12 11-9.

Cadet Girls: Sharvani Nagam bt Diya Brahmachary 11-8 11-5 11-9 11-6, Semifinals: Sharvani Nagam bt Jennifer Verghese 12-10 11-5 9-11 10-12 12-10, Diya Bramhacahry bt Nandini Saha 7-11 9-11 11-6 11-911-8.