Rakshith, Spoorthy champs

 Rakshith RB and Spoorthy MV emerged boys’ and girls’ Junior champions respectively in the State-ranking table tennis tournament here at the Canara Union’s Prakash Courts on Sunday.

Rakshith was off to false start in the final, losing the first game rather tamely to Kaustubh Kulkarni. Rakshith, however, staged a fine comback reeling off the next four games to clinch the title 6-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6.

In the girls’ final it was a payback time for Spoorthy who had lost the title clash against Samyukta A in the State-ranking tournament last week in Mysuru. It wasn’t a smooth sail for Spoorthy though. In an encunter of fluctuating fortunes, Spoorthy eventually prevailed after a marathon 12-14, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4 affair.

Results: Junior boys’ final: Rakshith RB bt Kaustubh Kulkarni 6-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6. 

Semifinals: Kulkarni bt Sanketh GS 11-5, 13-11, 10-12, 11-7, 12-14, 13-11; Rakshith bt Nikhil Nanda 11-4, 11-6, 14-12, 7-11, 11-3. Quarterfinals: Rakshith bt Rohan Jamadagni 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4; Sanketh bt Ahijit Saralaya 11-2, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8; Kulkarni bt Sujan Bharadwaj 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8; Nikhil bt Sucheth P Shenoy 7-11, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.

Junior girls’ final: Spoorthy MV bt Samyukta A 12-14, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4.
Semifinals: Spoorthy bt Gayathri Tankasali 13-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8; Samyukta bt Koumudi Patankar 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3.

Quarterfinals: Spoorthy bt Anarghya M 11-3, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10; Samyukta bt Medini Bhat 10-12, 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 12-14, 11-5, 11-6; Gayathri Tankasali bt Aditi Nandi 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7; Koumudi Patankar bt Sushmitha Bidri 11-9, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4.