Top seeds AR Navneeth and N Poojitha, both from Horizon Table Tennis Club, clinched the boys’ and girls’ junior titles respectively in the second EBF State-ranking table tennis tournament at the Malleswaram Association here on Sunday.
Navneeth defeated Mysore’s Akshay R Mahanta (Harsha Table Tennis Academy) 11-6, 11-3, 11-2, 10-12, 11-6 to clinch the boys’ title, while Poojitha defeated N Nisarga 11-5, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 in the girls’ title clash. Though Navneeth, the junior India number five, was in control of proceedings, there were times when Akshay showed his superiority like in the fourth game. His backhand worked overtime, and any return to the backhand was punished suitably. However, Navneeth was careful not to make returns to his rival’s backhand from then on. On his part, Navneeth played away from the table and kept up the forehand attacks. The tactics paid dividends as he ran away with the fifth game and, with it, the winner’s trophy.
The girls’ final was rather lop-sided. Poojitha stamped her dominance over Sports Authority of India’s Nisarga, the second seed. Poojitha did not have to do too much as Nisarga’s top-spins and drives went out repeatedly, giving her rival easy points. Poojitha spiced things up with some good smashes and earned points through well-executed top-spins and soon emerged the winner.
Results:
Boys: Juniors: Final: A R Navneeth bt Akshay R Mahanta 11-6, 11-3, 11-2, 10-12, 11-6. (Semifinals): Navneeth bt Puneeth P 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8; Akshay bt V Akhil 8-11, 13-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7. (Quarterfinals): Navneeth bt M Shreyas 11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9; Puneeth bt Yashas R L 11-7, 11-7, 11-4, 11-3; Akshay bt VP Charan 10-12, 11-5, 11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9; Akhil bt Pavan Raj 10-12, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.
Sub-juniors: Final: Akshay bt Deepak Dev 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 11-9. (Semifinals): Deepak Dev bt Charan VP 11-6, 4-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7; Akshay bt Shreyas M 13-11, 11-8, 11-8.
Girls: Juniors: Final: N Poojitha bt N Nisarga 11-5, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5. (Semifinals): Poojitha bt Maithreyi 11-3, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6; Nisarga bt Bhavana V Murthy 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5.
