The Hindu : Sport / Table Tennis : Soumyajit and Ankita triumph

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Saturday, Sep 24, 2005

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Sport - Table Tennis

Soumyajit and Ankita triumph

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Soumyajit Ghosh and Ankita Das (both North Bengal) justified their top billing as they lifted the sub-junior boys' and girls' singles titles respectively in the Southern India National ranking table tennis tournament at the Agriculture College indoor stadium, Vellayani, on Friday.

While Soumyajit was extended by second seeded Mohit Verma (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) 11-6, 13-15, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-1 in the boys' final, Ankita too met unexpected challenge from team-mate Medha Maitra before winning 8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7.

The boys' title-round clash was one of fluctuating fortunes as Soumyajit

after starting brilliantly to pocket the first game with his wide repertoire of strokes and intelligent serves unexpectedly allowed Mohit to take closely fought second game. The top seed playing a hurried game committed too many unforced errors as he allowed Mohit to lead 8-5 and 9-7 before levelling the scores at 9-all. Mohit controlled the remaining part of the set and finally triumphed 13-15.

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The North Bengal teenager, an eighth standard student of the Boys High School, Siliguri, was at his best in the third game as he attacked Mohit's weak backhand before winning 11-8 after the scores had initially remained tied all along. Soumyajit seemed well in control in the fourth before he lost it 8-11 but was back again in the fifth which he won 11-6.

He had his chances to close out the encounter in the sixth before he allowed Mohit to force the issue into the decider. Though Mohit seemed to have moved into top gear by then, it was Soumyajit who had the last laugh as he steamrollered his rival in the seventh game 11-1 to seal a memorable victory.

The day also witnessed the seeded players in the men's, women's and junior boys get through the initial rounds quite easily. But the same was not the case in the junior girls' section that saw two seeds, second-seeded Pallavi Kundu (Railway Sports Promotion Board) and fourth-seeded Pooja Sahastrabuddhe (Maharashtra) being shown the door by Priti Mokashi (Mahrashtra) and Jaita Pushilal (Bengal) respectively.

While Priti won against Pallavi 9-11, 11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8, Jaita's upset against Pooja was marked by a 10-12, 15-13, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 win.

The results:

Sub-juniors boys' singles (final): Soumyajit Ghosh (NB) bt Mohit Verma (PSPB) 11-6, 13-15, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-1. Semifinals: Soumyajit bt Sourav Saha (PSPB) 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 12-10; Mohit bt G. Sathiyan (TN) 13-11, 14-12, 12-10, 7-11, 11-7.

Sub-junior girls' singles (final): Ankita Das (NB) bt Medha Maitra (NB) 8-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7. Semifinals: Ankita bt V.Sneha (TN) 12-10, 12-10, 11-5, 11-3; Medha bt S. Sahana (Kar) 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5.

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