TT: Top seed Shweta clinches women’s crown
Top seed Shweta Parte just about managed to stave off a strong, spirited challenge from second seed Senhora D’Souza to earn a close 4-3 verdict and clinch the women’s crown in the Matunga Gymkhana 5-Star Mumbai City District Table Tennis Tournament, at the Matunga Gymkhana’s table tennis hall.
Parte, who had not participated in the event last year, has now regained the title and in the process also dashed D’Souza’s hopes of winning a grand double. D’Souza had earlier won the youth title by convincingly defeating Manasi Chiplunkar in straight games at 11-4, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 in the final.
In the women’s final, the experienced Parte and the 20-year-old D’Souza were engaged in an absorbing and grim battle for supremacy as the match went to the fifth and deciding game. Both players attacked and counter-attacked hitting some stunning shots on either flanks and played some superb long rallies, which left the crowd enthralled.
However, in the decider D’Souza after clawing back from a 0-4 deficit and later keeping pace till the scores were level at 8-all she succumbed to nerves and pressure and committed two errors which proved costly. First she made a poor return to Parte’s service and then hastily smashed wide to hand her opponent match points which she managed to convert to register a 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 11-4, 2-11, 118 triumph. However, there was joy for Manasi Chiplunkar as she bagged the junior girl’s crown. In the final, Manasi overcame Radhika Agarwal 11-4, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6. Chief Guest, former international player Vyoma (nee Shah) Parikh, presided over the prize distribution function. Results – Singles (all finals) – Midget girls: Gloria George bt Mrunal Kurade 9-11, 11-1, 14-12, 11-3. Cadet girls: 1-Nimisha Warang bt 2-Trisha Dalmia 7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9. Sub-junior girls: 1-Riya Suryavanshi bt Hiya Doshi 119, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 3-11, 11-6. Junior girls: Manasi Chiplunkar bt Radhika Agarwal 11-4, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6. Youth girls: 1-Senhora D’Souza bt Manasi Chiplunkar 11-4, 114, 11-8, 11-8. Women: 1-Shweta Parte bt 2Senhora D’Souza 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 114, 2-11, 11-8.