Victory for top seed Bhana

TOP seed Dipal Bhana successfully retained the men’s table tennis singles title at the Nelson Mandela Bay Open at the weekend.

Bhana beat unseeded Elton Bloemetjie 11-7 11-7 11-3 in the final, after eliminating Neil Hendricks 3-2 in a thrilling semifinal.

Bhana showed signs of leg cramps in the final, but overcame Bloemetjie with backhand loops and devastating smashes.

Bloemetjie had his hands full when he came up against Prishen Ryan in the other semifinal, but prevailed to triumph 3-1.

In a thrilling men’s doubles event, father and son Dipal and Rajesh Bhana took on Neil and Ridaa Hendricks.

The Bhana pair kept their composure and shaded their opponents 11-6 11-9 9-11 11-6.

They had a tough road to the final and had to overcome strong opposition in Prishen Ryan and Zeenal Bhana, beating them 3-2, in a match which could have gone either way.

In the bottom half, the Hendricks pair had their hands full against Shahied Abrahams and Thiagasen Pather, but prevailed 3-1.

Top women’s seed Li Xiuyan clinched the singles title in a well-contested final, defeating Dawn Fontuin, of Queenstown, 11-7 11-2.

In the boys’ singles final, Clinton Lodewyk shaded Adrian Afrika 11-5 11-6

Renisha Jackson clinched the girls’ title by beating Nathacia Alfreds 11-7 11-7.

The senior mixed doubles was well contested – with Dipal Bhana and Dawn Fontuin being edged 11-9 9-11 11-7 by Selvan Sammy and Li Xiuyan.