Sudhanshu, Suthirtha new junior champs

New Delhi, July 22, 2013: Sudhanshu Grover defeated Abhishek Yadav 4-3 to emerge the Junior Boys singles champion while it was another new face, Suthirtha Mukherjee who won the Junior Girls singles crown beating the experienced Manika Batra 4-2 to win the Junior Girls crown on the concluding day of the South Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships at the IG Stadium here on Monday.

Earlier, two more fresh names—Anirban Ghosh and Sagarika Mukherjee—won maiden international singles titles in the Cadet sections which, along with the doubles crowns in the junior sections, made it a Perfect Ten for India in the championships. The doubles titles went to Abhishek and Suidhanshu Grover in the boys’ category, while Manika Batra and Suthirtha Mukherjee combined to claim the girls’ crown. In both finals, their opponents were Sri Lankan.

Sri Lanka, who along with India qualified for the Asian Junior championships to be held in Doha, finished the table as the second best team with reasonably good performances coming up from their paddlers. India also won two silver medals through Abhishek Yadav and Manika Batra to add to their tally.

Sudhanshu had to pull all tricks to beat Abhishek who was not the one to give up easily. The see-saw final had its ups and downs with each of the players keeping their interest alive. But in the end Sudhanshu kept his lead intact in the seventh game, before Abhishek made it 7-all. At that point of time, it looks the match could go any way.

However, Sudhanshu stopped the southpaw on his tracks and took four straight points to win the match and the crown.

“It was a pulsating final and Abhisheh was strong on his forehand. I had to counter that and that was my problem initially. But was lucky on some points and they made my day,” said Sudhanshu on his maiden international title. “Last year Abhishek had beaten me and I had to give it back this year,” added Sudhanshu. 

Suthirtha took the first two games rather easily, but Manika, who is ranked 27th in the world, staged a fine comeback to win the next two to bring some balance into the final. But Suthirtha, without playing into Manika’s game plan of push and prod, attacked winning the vital points, particularly in the fifth game. Once she took the upper hand, the sixth game became a formality for the West Bengal girl who won by a mile to shut out whatever little challenge that had come from the Delhi girl.

“I was into attacking mode in the third and fourth games. But Monika blocked well to keep her in the match. I changed my plan in the fifth even though she (Manika) was breathing down my neck. The moment I took 3-2 lead, I knew what my game plan should be. It (attack) paid me rich dividends,” said the 35th ranked player.

THE RESULTS:

Junior Boys Singles: Final: Sudhanshu Grover (Ind) bt Abhishek Yadav (Ind) 4-3 (11-9, 9-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7); Semi-finals: Sudhanshu Grover (Ind) bt Rameez Muhammad (Pak) 4-1 (15-13, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9), Abhishek Yadav (Ind) bt Awal Piyush (Nep) 4-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6).

Doubles: Final: Abhishek Yadav/Sudhanshu Grovere (Ind) bt Vimukthi Wijesiri/Liyanahe Kahawaththa (SL)3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-6); Semi-finals: Abhishek Yadav/Sudhanshu Grover (Ind) bt Jubair Ahmed/Sajid Wahid (Bang)3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-6), Vimukhi Wijesiri/Liyanahe Kahawaththa (SL) bt Mani Lama/Awal Piyush (Nep) 3-1 (8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7).

Junior Girls Singles: Final: Suthirtha Mukherjee (Ind) bt Manika Batra (Ind)4-2 (11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-6); Seim-finals: Manika Batra (Ind) bt Tharakie De Silva (SL) 4-1 (11-6, 11-3, 11-5, 11-13, 11-4), Suthirtha Mukherjee (Ind) bt Bandara Rajaguru (SL) 4-0 (11-6, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7).

Doubles: Final: Manika Batra/Suthirtha Mukherjee (Ind) bt Tharakie De Silva/Bandara Rajaguru (SL)3-1 (11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 13-11); Semi-finals: Manika Batra/Suthirtha Mukherjee (Ind) bt Shamin Akhter Minara/Esrat Jahan Nahima (Bang) 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-8), Tharakie De Silva/Bandara Rajaguru (SL) bt Kajol Rauniyar/Manita Chitrakar (Nep) 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-3).

Cadet Boys Singles: Final: Anirban Ghosh (Ind) bt Birdie Boro (Ind) 3-1 (11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8), Semi-finals: Anirban Ghosh (Ind) bt Udaya Ranasinghe (SL) 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-9), Birdie Boro (Ind) bt Jayasanka De Silva (SL) 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-8).

Cadet Girls Singles: Final: Sagarika Mukherjee (Ind) bt R. Harshavardhini (Ind) 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-7); Semi-finals:Sagarika Mukherjee (Ind) bt Pavani Siresena (SL) 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 15-13), R. Harshavardini Calange (Ind) bt Sheshala Bandara (SL) 3-0 (11-6, 12-10, 11-5).

A TTFI Press release