Siliguri, December 3: Delhi pooh-poohed the Chitrax Butt threat to beat Gujarat 3-1 to and claimed their hold on the Sub-Junior Boys team trophy for the first time, while West Bengal retained the Sub-Junior Girls crown after accounting for Delhi 3-2 in a close encounter in the 11Even Sports 78th Cadet and Sub-Junior Nationals at the SMC Stadium here today.

The Cadet Girls crown, too, went the Delhi way—again for the first time—after their brave 24-game marathon which lasted nearly three hours, thanks to a resilient West Bengal, who lost 2-3. 

In fact, Delhi were on a roll and could well have pocketed three out of four team titles as West Bengal, in another frustrating marathon, beat them 3-2. Tamil Nadu were the only exception as their Cadet Boys retained their team trophy beating Karnataka 3-0.

After being in the final two years ago at Rajahmundry, Delhi boys had lost the opportunity when they went down to PSPB Academy. But today, they had no such problem, having already done and dusted with them 3-2 in the semifinals, they faced holders Gujarat who, with new faces, did well to enter the final, riding on the shoulders of Chitrax. 

But final was a different ballgame as Payas Jain dismissed the myth with a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Gujarat boy, Yashansh Malik disposed of Dhairya Parma in straight games to go 2-0 up. But the Gujarati pair bounced back with the doubles win when Payas and Arush failed to jell together. However, Yashansh with his clinical game outfoxed Chitrax in their reverse to win 3-0. The Delhi boy, who claimed his maiden zonal title at Aizawl, was too good with his forehand and backhand strokes, especially the backhand flicks proving to be his potent weapon. 

Lakshita Narang began well with a hard-fought win against Sucheta but Gayatri lost the advantage when Prithoki pulled it back after being stretched the full distance. This gave the impetus to West Bengal as Prithoki joined hands with Oishiki to lead 2-0. But Lakshikita dropped the only game in the match before equalling at the cost of Prithoki, putting the ball back in Gayatri’s court. 

The Delhi girl held her nerves to stage a fine recovered when down 0-2 in the decider and take Delhi to glory.

Despite best of efforts from Vanshika Bhrgava, who won both her singles, it was a tough ask for the Delhi girls against a calculated West Bengal girls, Poymantee Baisya and Munmun Kundu. But what clinched them the title was their crucial doubles win. Of course, Anubha Bajaj failed to capitalize on the chances that Munmun gave her in their reverse singles.  

TN BOYS RETAIN TITLE

Tamil Nadu retained the Cadet Boys title they won at Kolkata last year, thanks to a sustained performance by Preyesh Suresh Raj and Tharun Shanmugam. Karnataka boys, who have had a very good outing here, failed to measure up to the standards of the TN duo in the final. Yet, the boys from Karnataka need a pat on their backs for their resolve. 

Earlier, Chitrax Bhatt played the anchoring role to perfection to take Gujarat into the Sub-Junior Boys final by winning both his singles. He did have some problems in the reverse singles when Maharashtra’s Dev Shroff put up a great resistance but Chitrax made most of the negative points that came his way to see their side in the final for the second consecutive year. Chitrax was joined in their cause by Dhariya Parmar despite Maharashtra winning the doubles.

Delhi blanked out West Bengal 3-0 in the other match thanks to Yashansh Malik and Shreyaans Goel who took their singles before the pair of Arush Dutt and Payas Jain completed the task for Delhi.

Following in their footsteps, the Delhi girls entered the final in the Sub-junior section when they beat a hapless North Bengal 3-1, thanks to the combination of Vanshika Bhargava, Anubha Bajaj and Tisha Kohli. Though Anubha lost her singles to Nikitar Sarkar in straight games, first Vanshika and then along with Tisha ensured their final entry.

In Cadet Boys, Tamil Nadu defeated a laboring Uttar Pradesh 3-1 to clash with Karnataka who beat Goa 3-0. Sujan Bharadwaj beat Shantesh Mapsekar 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-4, Aakash Jagadish followed it up with 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 victory over Nagesh Verenker before the duo mopped it up with a doubles win against Nagesh and Shantesh to enter their main final. 

In Cadet Girls, West Bengal downed Maharashtra A 3-0 in a one-sided semifinal as did Delhi to Karnataka. It was praiseworthy of Karnataka boys and girls to have done their state proud with stunning performances in the section.

Results (Team Finals):

Sub-Junior Boys: Delhi bt Gujarat 3-1 (Payas jain bt Chitrax Bhatt 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, Yashansh Malik bt Dhairya Parmar 11-8, 11-8, 11-4, Payas/Arush lost to Chitrax/Dhairya 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 10-12, Yashansh Malik bt Chitrax Bhatt 11-6, 11-8, 11-9).

Sub-Junior Girls: West Bengal bt Delhi 3-2 (Poymantee Baisya bt Anubha Bajan 11-6, 11-6, 15-13, Munmun Kundu bt Vanshika Bhargava 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 3-11, 9-11, Poymantee/Munmun bt Vanshika/Tisha Kohli 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, Poymantee Baisya lost to Vanshika Bhargava 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, Munmun Kundu bt Anubha Bajaj 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9).

Cadet Boys: Tamil Nadu bt Karnataka 3-0 (Preyesh Suresh Raj bt AakashJagadish 11-5, 11-4, 11-6, Tharun Shanmugam bt Sujan Bharadwaj 9-11, 14-12, 6-11, 12-10, 11-7, Preyesh/Tharun bt Aakash/Sujan 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-3).

Cadet Girls: Delhi bt West Bengal 3-2 (Lakshita Narang bt Sucheta Prosad 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9, S. Gayatri lost to Prithoki Chakraborty 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 10-12, Lakshita/Gayatri lost to Oishiki/Prithoki 12-14, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 5-11, Lakshita Narang bt Prithoki Chakraborti 11-8, 10-12, 12-10, 11-4, S. Gayatri bt Sucheta Prosad 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6).