The Hindu : Back-to-back zonal titles for Sharath and Poulomi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2003

Sport

Sport - Table Tennis

Back-to-back zonal titles for Sharath and Poulomi

Poulomi Ghatak, winner of the women's title.

CHENNAI SEPT. 16 . For Sharath Kamal, employed at Indian Oil Corporation of the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, this season could prove to be a fruitful one, if he keeps his focus. The 21-year-old, who fell short at the final hurdle every time people expected more, is slowly beginning to realise his true potential. Against a rock-solid Soumyadeep Roy of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, third seed Sharath played with vigour and passion in front of the home crowd to register a 11-6, 5-11, 10-12, 16-14, 12-10, 11-9 win in the men's final of the RMK Engineering College National Ranking South Zone table tennis championships at the Nehru Indoor Stadium, Periamet, here on Tuesday. The win against S. Raman in the Rajkot zonal final (his first National title) in August has apparently given Sharath a lot of confidence.

Reigning National champion and top seed N.R. Indu of IOC just could not fathom what hit her. With forehand working perfectly, Indu was at her best, belting forehand winners, the inside-out forehand winners being the pick of the lot. Taking a 3-0 lead, Indu somehow allowed Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) to come back, and the 20-year-old Bengal girl grabbed the opportunity to score a 7-11,6-11,6-11,11-5, 11-4,11-7,11-8 victory. Poulomi too had won the first zonal of the season (West Zone) at Rajkot.

The men's final was expected to be a keenly contested affair and it was till Sharath raised his level after winning an energy sapping fourth game (16-14). Soumyadeep matched Sharath in all departments expect that he was a bit bulky and thus little less quick on movements. But he was equally good on both the flanks, and won the second and third games primarily due to his attack and excellent blocking.

Soumyadeep had two game points in the fourth game at 12-11 and 13-12, but Sharath seized the initiative with a forehand winner and a deep shot which Soumyadeep put it out. The fifth game too was close till 10-10.

Sharath raced to a 5-1 and 8-4 lead in the sixth game forcing Soumyadeep to take time out. Soumyadeep fought back to make it 9-9. At this point, Sharath came up with some wonderful shots from the back of the table, and finished the match with a forehand down-the-line winner.

Sharath Kamal, who won the National Ranking South Zone table tennis championship in Chennai on Tuesday.

In the women's summit clash, Poulomi was at the receiving end of Indu's offence. Excellent blocking, supported by aggressive play, Indu took the first three games in a jiffy, and was all set to wrap up the match when she served for the fourth. Poulomi was not done yet. Blocking well, which he had no opportunity in the three games), she occasionally unleashed her backhand smashes, to equalise 3-3. In the seventh and the deciding game, Indu took a time out at 5-7 when she found that her forehand smashes, her strength, were going off-target. Poulomi raced to a 10-8, took a time out and came out stronger; a good block to Indu's smash fittingly emerged as the match-winner.

In the semifinals in the morning, Sharath had the measure of Ranabir Das (RSPB) winning 11-8,19-17,11-8,11-9. Sharath's block was of high quality and he was able to use his wrist well to tackle the attacking shots of Ranabir. Soumyadeep showed enough grit to defeat eighth seed Sourav Chakraborty (RSPB) in the other semifinal.

Poulomi, on the other hand, had to fight hard to put it across the second seed Mouma Das of PSPB 5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 9-11, 11-13, 11-4, 11-3 in the semifinals. Indu overcame the challenge of Montu Ghosh (PSPB) in the other semifinal.

"I never gave in. I kept experimenting and started to attack," said the two-time National champion Poulomi about the final. "I am very happy with his win as it gives us valuable points." Indu said she was in double mind whether to attack or defend in the later stages of the match. "I hesitated and choose to hit the wrong balls. I am still wondering what went wrong."

"He (Soumyadeep) is very good at attack especially in first ball attacks. Initially I was in a hurry and wanted to finish the points quickly, then I started to play rallies and then began to attack," said Sharath.

Runner-up Soumyadeep, twice National champion said: "it was a high quality match. The fourth game was crucial. I was not happy with the way I served."

One of the few players in India who plays defensive style, 16-year-old local boy Abhishek posted an easy victory in four games over second seed Subhadip Das (Bengal) to clinch his maiden junior title.

The results:

Men (final): Sharath Kamal (PSPB) bt Soumyadeep Roy (PSPB) 11-6, 5-11, 10-12, 16-14, 12-10, 11-9. Semifinals: Soumyadeep bt Sourav Chakraborty (PSPB) 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9, 11-4; Sharath bt Ranabir Das (RSPB) 11-8, 19-17, 11-8, 11-9.

Junior Boys (final): R. Abhishek (TN) bt Subhadip Das (CoE) 11-8, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4. Semifinals: R. Abhishek bt Chiranjib Chowdhury (Ben) 13-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3; Subhadip Das (CoE) bt Sourav Pradhan (Ben) 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7, 14-12.

Sub Junior Boys (final): Marttand Biniwale (Mah) bt Mriganga Saha (CoE) 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5,11-6. Semifinals: Marttand Biniwale bt Aman Balgu (PSPBA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10; Mriganga Saha bt Susovan Das (CoE) 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 2-11, 11-5, 12-10.

Women (final): Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) bt N.R. Indu (PSPB) 7-11, 6-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8. Semifinals: N.R. Indu bt Montu Gosh (PSPB) 11-3, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7; Poulomi Ghatak bt Mouma Das (PSPB) 5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 9-11, 11-13, 11-4, 11-3.

Junior Girls (final): Madhurika Patkar (Mah) bt S. Sangeetha (TN) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 11-5. Semifinals: Madhurika Patkar bt J. Swarna (TN) 11-4, 9-11, 11-3, 8-11, 12-10, 12-10; S. Sangeetha bt K. Shamini (IB) 11-7, 12-10, 11-7, 11-2.

Sub-junior girls (final): Neha Agarwal (Del) bt Pooja Sahasra Budha (Mah)11-8, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9. Semifinals: Neha Agarwal bt Prajukta Tipale (Mah) 11-6, 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3; Pooja Sahasra Budha bt D.V. Sneha (TN) 11-6, 11-5, 12-14, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5.

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