ISC table tennis tourney gets under way

MUSCAT: The Annual Table Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club and sponsored by AlAmana Building Materials Company got under way at the club hall with first round matches in the under-10 singles.

The tournament has received an overwhelming response from children in the under-10 and under-13 yeaars category.

The tournament was inaugurated when the youngest participant, seven-year-old Samriddhi Sharma played the opening rallies with veteran Shrikant Kelkar of the ISC.

Making her table tennis debut, Aayra Malhotra scored two backto-back victories to advance to the quarter-finals of the under-10 singles. In the first round, Aayra held her nerves to notch up a morale-boosting 11-2, 8-11, 119, 11-7 victory over B. Sri Gauranga and followed it up with a confident 11-0, 11-3, 11-7 win over Samriddhi Sharma.

U Roshini also advanced to the quarters with two impressive wins.

In the first round, Roshini rallied to a 5-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 victory over Priyanka Chembra and in the second, she defeated Ashika Raj in 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.

Others advancing to the last eight of the same event are, Rishab Sheth who defeated Ishan Kalathil 11-3, 11-1, 11-1, Hari Krishna Biju fought back after losing the first game to prevail over Wasi Mohammed 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9, Anirudh V. Raman faced some resistance before overcoming Riddharshana Chandran 14-12, 11-7, 11-8.

Kevin Thiyagaseelan stormed to a 11-0, 11-1, 11-2 win over Khushi Sodha, Tarangini Singh defeated Hannsi Thakur, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 11-7 and Akshara Patriya was too strong in her 11-0, 11-1, 11-0 win over newcomer Rochelle Correa.