Mumbai, October 20, 2013: It was so near and yet so
far. Sagarika Mukherjee almost came to breaching the China wall, but finished as the
runner-up in the Junior Girls singles at the $8,000 Reliance India Junior and
Cadet Open at the NSCI Stadium here today.
In the Junior Boys category, India ’s Sudhanshu Grover defeated
compatriot Abhishek Yadav 4-1 (11-2, 16-14, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7) to take home
$1000. While Grover upped his game, befitting the occasion, southpaw Yadav was
not in his elements at all. That reflected in his game and Grover, on the other
hand, never missed any opportunity that came his way. Attacking from both
flanks, he kept Yadav engaged with short rallies and whenever opportunities
presented he went for the kill.
Incidentally, Grover had won back-to-back titles, at the
Central and West zone events, before coming to the event. Riding on his form,
he has already ensured that he claimed the title here and this should put him
in a better frame of mind when he goes to Morocco in December for the World
Juniors. Grover is the only male Indian paddler who will represent the country
in the singles event there.
Chinese on back foot
Nobody gave a semblance of chance to Sagarika, particularly
after the way she down and out, trailing 0-3 and 2-4 in the fourth game. But a
determined Sagarika not only surprised the entire crowd at the stadium but even
the Chinese who was forced on her back foot. Even those variations she employed
in her serves failed to get her anywhere as Sagarika won the extended game
16-14 after some real fight and a few rallies.
Sagarika’s ploy of block and attack method worked in her
favour as the Chinese, frustrated by the Indian’s slow game, made far too many
mistakes. Sagarika took the next two games to the roar of the crowd. The Indian
was very much in her groove and went 7-4 up in the decider only to allow her
rival come back in the match. Another extended game this time saw the Chinese
making amends to win the crown.
Earlier in the semifinals, Sagarika picked herself up well
after being down 1-3 to take her Chinese rival Anqi Li the full distance and
win the match 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 with pin-pointed
precision.
Sagarika prevails
Brave-heart Sreeja Akula saved four championships point to
level the score and even went 7-4 up in the decider of the Cadet Girls final.
However, once Sagarika Mukherjee levelled the score at 7-7 the cool-headed West Begal girl finished off in style to win the title.
Nevertheless, credit must go to Sreeja for the way she staged her comeback to
give some real scary moments to Sagarika who won 3-2.
The Cadet Boys final failed to match the excitement of Cadet
Girls’ final as Birdie Boro, ranked several rungs below at 245, steamrolled
Arjun Ghosh (189) in straight sets.
Ghosh, though put up some late resistance in an extended
third game, it was too late too little for him. Boro, playing an attacking
close-to-the-table game won several winners with his blistering shots. Ghosh,
on the other hand, was more subdued and failed to show the kind of enthusiasm
he had shown earlier in the semifinals.
Results:
Junior Boys: Singles Final: Sudhanshu Grover bt
Abhishek Yadav 4-1 (11-2, 16-14, 12-10, 4-11, 11-7); Semifinals: Abhishek
Yadav bt Lalrin Puia 4-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8), Sudhanshu Grover bt Utkarsh
Gupta 4-0 (12-10, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3).
Doubles: Final: Sameera Kumar/Rohit Rajasekhar bt
Sudhanshu Grovere/Abhishek Yadav 3-0 (15-13, 11-6, 11-7).
Junior Girls: Singles Final: Yanmei Yang (CHN) bt
Sagarika Mukherjee 4-3 (11-6, 11-2, 11-4, 14-16, 9-11, 5-11, 12-10); Semifinals:
Sagarika Mukherjee bt Anqi Li (CHN) 4-3 (11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8,
11-9), Yanmei Yang (CHN) bt Xiaotong Sun (CHN) 4-1 (11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6,
11-5).
Doubles: Final: Ayhika Mukherjee/Suthirtha Mukherjee bt
Manika Batra/Reeth Tennison 3-1 (11-5, 10-12, 12-10, 11-3).
Cadet Boys: Singles Final: Birdie Boro bt Arjun Ghosh
3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 16-14; Semifinals: Arjun Ghosh bt Anirban Ghosh 3-1
(11-9, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9), Birdie Boro bt Yuhao Wang (CHN) 3-1 (11-5, 11-13,
11-9, 11-7).
Doubles: Final: Arjun Ghosh/Ayush Tayal bt Birdie
Boro/Anirban Ghosh 3-2 (11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9).
Cadet Girls: Singles Final: Sagarika Mukherjee bt Sreeja
Akula 3-2 (13-11, 11-13, 11-8, 17-19, 11-9); Semifinals: Sagarika
Mukherjee bt Srushti Haleangadi 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-6), Sreeja Akula bt CR
Harshavardhini 3-2 (7-11, 5-11, 15-13, 11-6, 11-2).
Doubles: Final: Sreeja Akula/CR Harshavardhini bt
Shruti Amrute/Naina 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-4).
A TTFI Press release
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