Maiden titles for Prapti, Deepit

Deepit Rajesh Patil and Prapti Sen won their maiden junior boys and junior girls titles respectively in the 11Sports national ranking ( south zone) table tennis championships at the DRM Municipal Indoor Hall in Vijayawada on Sunday.

Both finals went down to the wire and the ones that kept their cool carried home the winners’ purse of ` 22,000 and ` 19,800, respectively, in what was first appearance for all the finalists.

Deepit overcame Raegan Albuquerque 4- 3 and Prapticame from behind to down Madhya Pradesh’s Anusha Kutumbale 4- 3.

In the boys’ final, it was difficult to predict the winner as Deepit and Raegan, knowing each other’s game well, indulged in fast rallies and drove well, taking alternate games. But when latter missed his first match- point in the decider, Deepit didn’t repeat the mistake. Cashing in on first opportunity, with serve on, sent down the crucial winner to lift the glittering trophy.

A similar drama was more or less in girls’ final but Prapti had to pull herself out of depth before outwitting her MP rival. Both players, good at forehand drives, also employed the backhands effectively. But what clinched the final in Prapti’s favour was a service fault by the Indore girl besides Prapti’s ability to be one- up over Anusha, particularly whenever the chances presented, as she sent down scorching forehands without being challenged.