Local-boy Manush storms into men’s final
Vadodara January, 20 : Living up to the billing, local-lad and India no.4 Manush Shah entered in the men’s final of the season-opener UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championship played at SAMA Indoor Sports Complex in Vadodara on Friday.
In the semifinal, the 23-year-old Manush conquered Bengal’s rising talent Ankur Bhattacharjee, who he bagged the boys’ under-17 title earlier in the day.
Manush asserted dominance from the word go and pushed the youngster to the wall to post a 4-1 victory. In the summit clash, the southpaw will take on Sudhanshu Grover, who brought down Manav Thakkar (PSPB) 4-2 in the other semifinal.
The women’s final will feature Archana Kamath of PSPB and RSPB’s Moumita Dutta. While the 22-year-old Archana cleaned up Anusha Kutumbale 4-2 in her semis, Moumita threw out her RPSB team-mate B Poymangtee in the other semifinal.
Other results:
Youth Boys (U-17) Final: Ankur Bhattacharjee (BEN A) bt S Preyesh (TN) 4-2 (11-4,11-4,6-11,7-11,11-7,11-4);
Youth Girls (U-17) Final: Suhana Saini (HAR) bt Taneesha Kotecha (AAI) 4-0 (11-8,11-8,11-6,11-6)
Mixed Doubles: Semifinal: Raj Mondal (RBI) & Ayhika Mukherjee bt Ronit Bhanja (RSPB) & Sutirtha Mukherjee (RSPB) 3-2 (11-7,8-11,7-11,11-6,11-8); Manav Thakkar (PSPB) & Archana Kamath (PSPB) bt F Snehit (AAI) & Diya Chitale (MAHA A) 3-2 (11-8,11-7,6-11,11-13,11-0).
Youth Boys (U-19) semifinal: Payas Jain (DEL) bt Divyansh Srivastava (UP) 4-0 (11-5,11-6,12-10,11-9); Jash Modi (MAHA A) bt Priyanuj Bhattacharyya (ASM) 4-3 (9-11,11-8,9-11,11-6,11-13,12-10,11-5)
Youth Girls (U-19): Semifinal: Suhana Saini (HAR) bt M Anargya (KAR) 4-0 (11-7,11-3,11-7,11-9); Yashaswini Ghorpade (KAR) bt Taneesha Kotecha (AAI) 4-0 (11-9,12-10,11-5,11-5)
Men’s Semifinal: Manush Shah (GUJ) bt Ankur Bhattacharjee (BEN A) 4-1 (11-7,11-6,11-8,10-12,11-7); Sudhanshu Grover (DEL) bt Manav Thakkar (PSPB) 4-2 (10-12,11-7,11-6,11-6,9-11,14-12)
Women’s Semifinal: Archana Kamath (PSPB) bt Anusha Kutumbale (MP) 4-2 (5-11,8-11,14-12,11-7,11-6,11-7); Moumita Dutta (RSPB) bt B Poymangtee (RSPB): 4-3 (11-7,8-11,14-12,11-3,7-11,4-11,11-6).