Akash, Koushani bag Cadet National TT titles

Kochi, December 12, 2011: When two North Bengal players meet in the final of the Cadet boys, one wins while the other loses. But what was typical of the final at the New Assurance 73 rd Cadet and Sub-junior National Table Tennis Championships at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Monday was how not to yield even an inch in a final where the stakes are too high.

To begin with, the winner gets double ranking points and handsome prize money of Rs 18,000. So is the case with Cadet girls, except that the winner receives Rs 15,000 as prize purse.

Hence, it was not a surprise that North Bengal’s Akash Nath, though got stretched as was to be expected, accounted for state mate Gogoi to win 4-1 in the best of seven-games final 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7. Akash struggled to start with and managed to take the first game at 11-9. His friend and state mate Gogoi tried to make a comeback and squeezed out a couple of points to go ahead at one stage in the second game. However, Akash stopped him at 9 to put himself in a comfortable position.

But then Gogoi took the next at 7-11 to put some doubts in Akash. The latter, however, didn’t give any more allowance as he took the next two in quick time to claim the title. Akash was too happy to win the title but felt sorry for his friend. “Gogoi fought really well but the final game was where I sealed the match in my favour,” he said.

As for the Cadet girls final, the match was devoid of any thrills despite an early scare from the Tamil Nadu girl Selena, who equalled the score after conceding the first game to her West Bengal rival Koushani Mukherjee. But Koushani was too good for Selena as she quickly assessed the situation with a vociferous support emerging for her from the galleries. Koushani simply shut out Selana to take the crown at 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-2.

After the win, Koushani gave credit to her Tamil Nadu rival and talked on the slow game that Selana played. “I got used to the slow game of my opponent and accordingly adjusted my game,” she said. Selena too praised her rival and gave full credit for the way she played.

The sub-junior boys and girls quarterfinals will be played later tonight and the semifinals and finals are slated for tomorrow.

The results:

Cadet Boys: Final: Akash Nath (NB) bt ZK Gogoi (NB) 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7; Semifinals: Akash Nath (NB) bt SFR Snehit (AP) 11-5, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5; ZK Gogoi (NB) ZK Gogoi bt Sarthak Seth (UP) 11-5, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8; Quarter-finals: Akash Nath (NB) bt Ashwin Subramanian (Mah-A) 11-5, 11-9, 11-4; SFR Snehit (AP) bt Parth Virmani (Dli) 2-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8; ZK Gogoi (NB) bt Jeet Chandra (WB) 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6; Sarathak Seth (UP) bt Manav Thakkar (Guj) 8-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9.

Cadet Girls: Final: Koushani Nath (WB) bt Selena Deepthi S (TN) 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-2; Semifinals: Koushani Nath (WB) bt Priyanka Pareek (Raj) 4-11, 13-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-6; Selena Deepthi S (TN) bt Varuni Jaiswal (AP) 11-7, 11-7, 11-2, 11-9; Quarterfinals: Koushani Nath (WB) Shrushti Haleangadi (Mah-A) 12-10, 11-9, 11-8; Priyanka Parek (Guj) bt Ritika Kundu (Jkd) 6-11, 11-9, 14-16, 11-7, 14-12; Selena Depthi S (TN) bt Urmila Mense (Goa) 11-6, 11-3, 11-6; Varuni Jaiswal (AP) bt Moumita Dutta (WB)13-11, 11-7, 11-6.

A TTFI Press Release