New Delhi, November 29: Left proved right at the National Ranking (North Zone) Table Tennis Championships yet again. And Petroleum’s Sanil Shetty defeated team mate Harmeet Desai 4-1 (11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10) to win the men’s singles title at the Thyagraj Stadium here today. The victory for Sanil was worth Rs. 66,000 in prize money and 90 valuable ranking points.

Likewise, it was another PSPB girl, Madhurika Patkar, who made most of the chance to beat A.V. Niveditha of Airports Authority of India to claim the women’s singles crown. Earlier, Madhurika had decimated reigning national champion and winner of two zonals this season, Poulomi Ghatak, 4-0. Madhurika too earned a cash prize of Rs.55,000 for her effort and same number of points.

Unlike the men’s singles final, which turned out to be a one-sided affair, the women’s final had some thrills as Madhurika had to come from behind to march ahead of her AAI rival. Niveditha was well and truly on course after taking the first two games rather convincingly at 11-9, 11-9 before losing steam. Seizing the opportunity, the PSPB girl launched a very good counter and that paid her the dividends as she swept clean the next four games for the match and title for a 4-2 (9-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7) score line.

Southpaw Sanil, on the other hand, should consider himself very lucky on the day. In fact he did not start the day as well as he would have wanted to as he was losing his way in the pre-quarterfinals against L. Sathishwaran of LIC. But once he tackled him well to progress, he had the mental aptitude to win the final. After losing the first game to the LIC boy, Sanil played well against the defensive Sathishwaran and won the next three. But in the fifth game it was the LIC lad who took 11-3 before Sanil, despite trailing early, wrapped it in double quick time.

That was where he gained his momentum which paved the way for his second consecutive North Zone title which he had won at Srinagar last year. Except for the third game in the final, which he lost to Harmeet, the left-hander kept his attacking instinct throughout. He was up and down during the fifth game, but was never in any sort of trouble even as his opponent kept his chance alive. From 8-all, it was 10-all but Sanil Shetty broke his rival’s service and finished the match with an excellent forehand scorcher.

In a way, the North Zone championships have helped the two new champs grab the opportunity with both hands even as their peers Soumyadeep Roy, Jubin Kumar, Poulomi and K. Shamini let it go because they were lacking in consistency.

Results:

Final:
Men: Sanil Shetty (PSPB) bt  Harmeet Desai (PSPB) 4-1 (11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10)
Semifinals: Harmeet Desai (PSPB) bt Soumyadeep Roy (PSPB) 4-1 (11-6, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5, 13-11), Sanil Shetty (PSPB) bt Aman Balgu (RSPB) 4-3 (7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 5-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5)
Quarterfinals: Soumyadeep Roy (PSPB) bt G. Sathiyan (PSPB) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, Harmeet Desai (PSPB) bt Martand Biniwale (Mah0 11-6, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5), Amal Balgu (RSPB) bt Jubin Kumar (PSPB) 4-3 (11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 2-11, 11-6), Sanil Shetty (PSPB) bt Nithin Thiruvengadam (AAI) 11-13, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10, 11-8).

Final:
Women: Madhurika Patkar (PSPB) bt AV Niveditha (AAI) 4-2 (9-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7).
Semifinals: Madhurika Patkar (PSPB) bt Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) 4-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10), AV Niveditha (AAI) bt K. Shamini (PSPB) 4-2 (1-11, 12-10, 11-9, 3-11, 12-10, 11-8).
Quarterfinals: Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) Suthirtha Mukherjee (WB) 4-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8), Madhurika Patkar (PSPB) bt Mamata Prabhu (SB) 4-0 (11-7, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8), Niveditha AV (AAI) bt Soumi Mondal (PSPB) 4-3 (5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9), k. Shamini (PSPB) bt Neha Aggarwal (Del0 4-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9).