Mixed day for Mohd Ali; Nikhat bags women’s crown

HYDERABAD: It was a mixed day for Mohd Ali. The LBS paddler won the men’s singles title but failed to make it a memorable double as he lost the Youth final at the 3rd State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament, here.
Ali played a flawless game as he blanked B Varun Shanker of MLR 4-0. Even though, Shanker tried to put up a fight, he was no match to Ali in the final.Ali won 11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 to clinch the crown.
However, Ali faltered against Arvind of AWA in the Youth final and went down fighting 3-4. In what turned out to be a keenly contest match, Arvind began on a bad note as he lost the first game 9-11. However, he came back strongly to take the next one at 11-7 but Ali pulled up his socks and ran Arvind ragged. Ali won the next two games at 11-6, 11-7 to take a 3-1 lead. But Arvind picked up the pieces and stepped up the tempo. He took his game to a higher level to counter Ali and the move paid off. Arvind won the next three games at 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 to conquer Ali.
The Junior final too turned to out to be a close affair as SSK Karthik of AWA prevailed over Kesavan Kannan of MLR 4-3.
In the women’s singles final, RBI’s Nikhat Banu brooked no challenge as she cruised to a 4-1 win over Varuni Jaiswal of GSM in the women’s final. Nikhat took the first two games with ease at 11-8, 11-7 before she encountered some resistance from Varuni. Nikhat made it 3-0 with a 12-10 verdict in the third game before Varuni took the fourth game at 3-11. However, Nikhat finished the formalities by winning the fifth game at 11-5.
Varuni, however, won the Youth title by defeating Sasya of AWA 4-0. N Bhaavitha of GSM took the Junior crown by thumping G Palak also of GSM 4-0.
Results: Girls (Junior, final): N Bhaavitha (GSM) bt Palak G (GSM) 4-0 (11-6, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5).
Youth (final): Varuni Jaiswal (GSM) bt Sasya (AWA) 4-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10).
Women (final): Nikhat Banu (RBI) bt Varuni Jaiswal (GSM) 4-1 (11-8, 11-7, 12-10, 3-11, 11-5). SFs: Nikhat Banu (RBI) bt M Monica (GSM) 4-3 (11-5, 12-14, 5-11, 11-5, 12-10, 10-12, 12-10); Varuni Jaiswal (GSM) bt G Pranitha (HVS) 4-3 (13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-4).
Boys (Junior, final): SSK Karthik (AWA) bt Kesavan Kannan (MLR) 4-3 (11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-6). SFs: Kesavan Kannan (MLR) bt Jashan Sai (MLR) 4-3 (8-11, 8-11, 5-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-7, 11-9); SSK Karthik (AWA) bt B Varun Shanker (MLR) 4-3 (9-11, 11-5, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 14-12).
Youth (final): Arvind (AWA) bt Mohd Ali (LBS) 4-3 (9-11, 11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5). SFs: Mohd Ali (LBS) bt Amaan-Ur-Rahman (AVSC) 4-1 (6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6); Arvind (AWA) bt Saroj Siril (AWA) 4-3 (7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7).
Men (final): Mohd Ali (LBS) bt B Varun Shanker (MLR) 4-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8). SFs: Mohd Ali (LBS) bt Sainath Reddy (MLR) 4-1 (13-11, 11-7, 11-8, 12-14, 13-11); B Varun Shanker (MLR) bt Saroj Siril (AWA) 4-2 (13-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8).