Sharath, Madhurika claim season’s 1st title
Reigning national champion A. Sharath Kamal and former national champion Madhurika Patkar claimed the men and women singles crowns in the 11Sports National Ranking ( West Zone) Table Tennis Championships at the MhalungeBalewadi Sports Complex in Pune on Tuesday. Sharath took just 25 minutes to dispose of Anirban Ghosh 11- 6, 11- 8, 11- 3, 115 in the final and Madhurika beat Divya Deshpande 7- 11, 10- 12, 11- 8, 11- 9, 12- 10, 11- 5 in the final. Incidentally, they were the first titles for both this season.
“I needed this victory,” said the 36- year- old Sharath.
Despite hitting a purple patch in the tournament, Madhurika was 0- 2 down against Divya Deshpande but mustered courage to take the next four games in her own inimitable style— his forehands were as powerful as the backhands.
Divya somewhat lost her way after taking a comfortable lead and could not overcome the mental block, particularly in the fifth game which was anybody’s game. When Madhurika won 12- 10, it was almost curtains for Divya as she wrapped up the next in double quick time.
Gujarat’s Manush Shah defeated Jeet Chandra of Haryan 11- 6, 12- 10, 12- 10, 13- 11 to claim the youth boys title while Sreeja Akula denied Prapti Sen another youth girls title as the RBI girl won 11- 6, 12- 10, 12- 10, 13- 11.
Sreeja clinched the decider on extended points after it was 10all.