Pritha, Riana emerge champions
Pritha Vartikar of Pune and Riana Bhoota of Thane emerged champions clinching the sub-junior girls and Cadet girls’ singles crowns respectively, in the Dr Ramesh Prabhoo Memorial 82nd Maharashtra State Table Tennis Championship organised by The Suburban District Table Tennis Association, at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle, here on Wednesday.
Pritha showed strong and superb fighting qualities as she went on to quell the spirited fight from local challenger Ananya Chande (TSTTA) in seven games. Both, Pritha and Ananya played their hearts out and the contest went to the wire with the former managing to cruise through with a 8-11, 15-13, 1012, 11-5, 15-13, 10-12 and 11-6 verdict.
In the cadet finals, lefthanded Thane girl Riana defeated Ishika Umate of Nagpur 11-2, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5 to emerge champions.
Earlier, in the last four round encounters, Ananya got the better of Jennifer Verghese of Nagpur in a long drawn 7-game encounter winning at 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 115, 11-7, 9-11 and 11-5 to seal her place in the final. However, Ananya’s teammate Mukta Dalvi was not successful in her semi-final tie against Pune’s Paritha Vartikar and
Girls (cadets; Qfs): Ishika Umate
(NGP) bt Anshuka Rawat (SOL) 11-4,
11-3, 11-6; Ria Kothari (AKL) bt
Ruchita Darvatkar (PNA) 11-7, 11-8,
11-9; Divyanshi Bhoumick (TSTTA) bt
Swara Salgaonkar (TSTTA) 11-9, 11
7, 11-9; Riana Bhoota (THN) bt Kavya
Bhatt (THN) 11-5, 6-11. 11-2, 11-8.
Semi-finals: Ishika Umate (NGP) bt
Ria Kothari (AKL) 6-11, 11-8, 9-11,
11-8, 11-5, 11-8; Riana Bhoota (THN) bt Divyanshi Bhoumick (TSTTA) 11-2,
11-9 11-5, 11-6. Final: Riana Bhoota
(THN) bt Ishika Umate (NGP) 11-2, 12-10, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5.
Jennifer Verghese (NGP) bt Tanisha Kotecha (NSK) 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 1-11, 11-5; Ananya Chande (TSTTA) bt Keisha Jhaveri (MCD) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11; Mukta Dalvi (TSTTA) bt Sayali Wani (NSK) 11-9, 4-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4; Pritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Risha Mirchandani (TSTTA) 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11. Semifinals: Ananya Chande (TSTTA) bt Jennifer Verghese (NGP) 8-11, 118, 11-13, 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5; Paritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Mukta Dalvi (TSTTA) 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10. Finals: Pritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Ananya Chande (TSTTA) 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5, 15-13, 10-12, 11-6. went down fighting. The Pune girl played steadily to overcome Mukta by a 5-11, 117, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9 and 12-10 match scores.
In the Cadet girls’ semi-finals, Riana dashed the aspirations of home challenger Divyanshi Bhoumick of TSTTA cruising to a straight-games 11-2, 11-9 11-5, 11-6 success to take her spot in the final.
Meanwhile, Ishika faced quite a stiff opposition from Ria Kothari of Akola District before coming out trumps 4-2. Ria started on a promising note by winning the first and third games to race to a 2-1 lead. But, showed excellent fighting spirit as she claimed the next three games in succession to complete a satisfying 6-11, 118, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 and 11-8 victory.
The organisers TSTTA, is hosting this tournament in the city after 23 years. Thet have ensured that all SOP protocols are being followed and all precautions measures have been taken for the safety of the players, parents, coaches and officials.