With three team titles already in pocket, the
Kotiyan-Ambedkar duo had to overcome the Saudi team members who had topped
their group by beating India B earlier. But Kotiyan and Ambekar, learning their
lessons, changed their strategy in the final to simply outwit the visitors. The
Saudis had to be content with the silver.
“The doubles proved to be crucial and we combined really
well after being down 2-1. That was the game changer,” admitted the duo. “I was
comfortable against left-hander Ali and our strategy was to open with Sanish.
Despite a good game, he lost. But I am happy to have made amends on behalf of
the team,” said Kotiyan on his maiden title win.
Nervous moments
Earlier in the group match, too, India A suffered defeat at the hands
of India C. Yet, they made it to the semifinals being the second team in the
group. On the other hand, India B with Ravindra Kotiyan and Sanish Ambekar
tested group topper and Saudi Arabian duo that spent some nervous moments.
In the opening match, Alkhadrawi went down to 9-11, 12-10,
9-11, 11-8, 11-6 Ravindra Kotiyan but in the immediately ensuing match
Abdulaziz nearly followed suit. He was stretched to the very limit by Sanish,
only emerging successful by the very minimal margin in the decider (9-11, 11-9,
4-11, 11-9, 12-10). The Saudis secured the doubles (11-8, 13-11, 11-1), before
Alkhadrawi returned to beat Sanish 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 12-10.
Represented by Sreeja Akula and Seraha Jacob , India
‘A’ won the Junior Girls’ Team title, the first title to be decided. India A
finished ahead of teammate Riti Shankar and Selena Selvakumar, representing
India ‘C,’ with the India ‘B’ Team duo of Shriti Vijay Amrute and Maria Rony in
the bronze medal position in the round-robin league event. The Kazakh girls,
with Malika Ilkhamzhanova and Yuliya Ryabova, on duty finished fourth.
India A, within a whisker of a 3-0 defeat, when Shruti
Amrute recovered from a two-game deficit to beat Sreeja Akula by the very
narrowest of margins in the deciding fifth game (5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 13-11,
13-11), before Maria Rony overcame Seraha Jacob in a rather more comfortable
manner (11-4, 11-5, 11-3). With a 2-0 cushion, India
‘B’ failed to press the advantage as India A made a nice recovery.
In a tense doubles, determined by the minimal two-point
margin (12-10, 16-18, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10) their recovery began. Sreeja beat
Maria (11-8, 11-9, 11-8) before Seraha completed the task when she overcame
Shruti (11-9, 11-1, 11-8) to win the medal.
Earlier in the day, Riti Shankar steered India C to victory
against India B. Ritibeat Maria Rony 11-9, 11-7, 12-10 in the second
rubber and Shruti Amrute in the fifth for 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6 verdict,
with Selenadeepthi Selvakumar adding further success as she defeated Shruti 11-7,
11-7, 10-12, 6-11, 11-5. The two wins for India B came in the doubles (12-10,
11-7, 11-7) and from Maria Rony in the fourth match when she downed Selena
11-6, 11-2, 11-5.
Cadet crowns
Archana Kamath and Srusthi had a lot of little difficulty in
putting it across India E’s Priyanka Pareek and Saundriya Pathak. A lot was
depended on Archana but Priyanka, who has had a good outing here, played
brilliantly to stretch the final. Priyanka had it sewn up when, in the fourth
game, she led 8-6 and 9-7 against Archana. But three easy points to Archana
turned out to be the game changer for India A squad. Archana, after
squandering two match points, held on to the third and win the title. She
had missed it at Goa last year.
As for the duo of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah, it was
short of a cakewalk against India D’s Raegan Albuquerque and Shaurya Pednekar.
The top-seeded team made the final a one-sided affair.
The singles events begin from tomorrow with the
finals slated for Sunday.
Results (Team championships):
Cadet Boys: Final: India A bt India D 3-0 (Manush Shah
bt Shaurya Pednekar 11-9, 11-2, 13-15, 11-9, Manav Thakkar bt Raegan
Albuquerque 11-3, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, Manav/Manush bt Shaurya/Raegn 11-7, 11-9,
11-9);Semifinals: India A bt India C 3-0 (Manush Shah bt Snehit Suravajjula
1-12, 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, Manav Thakkar bt Shivjit Lamba 11-2, 11-5,
11-3, Manav/Manush bt Snehit/Shivijit 11-9, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5); India D bt India
E 3-2 (Raegan Albuquerque bt Anukram Jain 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, Shaurya Pednekar
lost to Parth Virmani 8-11, 6-11, 8-11, Raegan/Shaurya lost to Parth/Anukram
11-9, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, Raegan Albuquerque lost to Parth Virmani 4-11, 11-8,
6-11, 8-11, Shaurya Pednekar bt Anukram Jain 11-3, 11-8, 11-2).
Cadet Girls: Final: India A bt India E 3-1 (Srushti
Haleangadi lost to Priyanka Pareek 14-13, 11-8, 3-11, 10-12, 7-11, Archana
Kamath Girish bt Saundriya Pathak 11-4, 11-5, 11-3, Achana/Srushti bt
Priyanka/Saundriya 11-7, 11-8, 11-5, Archana Kamath bt Priyanka Pareek 9-11,
5-11, 13-11, 11-4, 14-12);Semifinals: India A bt India B 3-0 (Srushti
Haleangadi bt Varuni Jaiswal 11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, Archana Kamath Girish bt
Diya Chaitale Parag 11-8, 14-12, 11-8, Srushti/Archana bt Varruni/Diya 11-3,
9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9); India E bt India C 3-1 (Priyanaka Pareek bt
Tanisi Kirtani 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9, Saundarya Pathak lost to Prapti Sen
8-11, 11-13, 6-11, Saundarya/Priyanka bt Tanisi/Prapti 11-7, 1-11, 13-11,
12-10, Priyanka Pareek bt Prapti Sen 11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 12-10).
Junior Boys: Final: India B bt Saudi Arabia 3-1 (Sanish
Ambekar lost to Ali Alkhadrawi 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, Ravindra
Kotiyan bt Abdulaziz Bu Shulaybi 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, Ravindra/Sanish
bt Alkhadrawi/Abdulaziz 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, Ravindra Kotiyan bt
Alkhadrawi 11-4, 11-3, 11-7; Semifinals: India B bt India C 3-0 (Ravindra
Kotiyan bt Abhimanyu Mitra 11-4, 11-8, 11-7, Sanish Ambekar bt Siddhesh Pande
11-6, 11-8, 11-5, Ravindra/Sanish bt Siddhesh/Abhimanyu 6-11, 11-8, 11-5,
11-6); Saudi Arabia bt India A 3-1 (Abdulaziz Bushulaybi lost to Lalrin Puia
8-11, 6-11, 10-12, Ali Alkhadrawi bt Utkarsh Gupta 11-6, 11-4, 11-13, 11-5,
Ali/Abdulaziz bt 9-11, 11-5, 4-11, Puia/Gupta 11-2, 11-5, 11-8, Ali Alkhadrawi
bt Lalrin Puia 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9).
Junior Girls: India A (gold), India C (silver),
India B (bronze).
A TTFI Press release
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