Aizawl, November 19: Delhi’s Yashansh Malik proved a notch better than PSPB Academy’s H. Jeho when the former took on the defensive player, hailing from this part of the world, to win his maiden Sub-Junior Boys title in the 11Even Sports National Ranking (East Zone) Table Tennis Championships, it was very hectic for the players and match officials at the R Dengthuama Multipurpose Indoor Stadium at Mualpui here today.

The Delhi boy won 4-2 in a gripping final that was well appreciated by the Mizo crowd which had come to cheer Jeho and L. Alberto who lost in the semifinal to the same Delhi boy.

Yashansh, a cool player, adapted himself well to the defensive tactics of Jeho and committed far too many mistakes than his Delhi mate Payas Jain, who succumbed to the Mizo boy in the semifinals, did. Jeho tried his best with a vociferous crowd behind him, particularly in the fifth game which he won on his first game point after Yashansh missed two match points.

But the Delhi lad was more focused and curbed his natural attacking instincts unlike Jeho who, at times, played to the gallery. Incidentally, Jeho had won the season’s first title when he beat Alberto in the final of North Zone at Chandigarh. 

ANUSHA ON A ROLL

Anusha Kutumbale made for her South Zone title loss at Visakhapatnam and rolled over her Tanisi Kirtani of Goa 4-1 to emerge as the most consistent player in the Sub-Junior Girls. With this win, Anushsha has four crowns from five finals this season. Despite losing the first game to the Goan girl, Anusha struck form to take the next two games rather easily. But Tanisi did well to come back in the fourth and after three deuces Anusha won on the extended fourth on third game point. Without allowing any further liberty to her rivals, the MP girl completed one of the most satisfying season.

KAVYASHREE’S HAT-TRICK

For Tamil Nadu’s Kavyashree Baskar it was three on-the trot in Cadet Girls and each time her opponent happened to be Haryana’s Suhana Saini, who had beaten the Tamil Nadu girl to claim the Central Zone crown at Indore. Their final saw the usual ups and downs for both players, but a more determined Kavyashree shut her opponent out by taking two consecutive games without giving any evidence of complacency. 

SWEEP BY PREYESH

Similarly, Preyesh Raj of Tamil Nadu completed a sweep of Cadet Boys—five out of five—when he beat Divyansh Srivastava of UP 4-2. A more consistent player, the Tamil Nadu boy showed a lot of dynamism and enterprise against the UP boy who lacked conviction. No doubt, Preyesh was extended twice over with each winning a game to begin with. Then Divyansh levelled score at 2-2. And that was all he was allowed as Preyesh won the next two for the sweep of titiels. 

Earlier, in the Sub-Junior Boys semifinals, PSPB’s H. Jeho defeated Rajkot titlist Payas Jain of Delhi 4-1 while his state mate Yashansh Malik had to bring in all his tricks out of the bat to outwit PSPBA’s L. Alberto, another local, 4-3. Alberto egged on by the crowd, like Jeho earlier, pulled himself out of the rut—he was 1-3 down—to put up a brave fight and level the score. Again the decider he was 5-7 then went 9-1 up but a courageous Yashansh kept his cool to take the crucial two points and enter the final.  

Anusha Kutumbale defeated Swastika Ghosh 4-2 while Tanisi Kirtani beat Poymantee Baisa 4-1 in the Sub-Junior Girls semifinals. 

In the Cadet Boys semifinals, Preyesh Raj’s success story continued as he braced up for another title when he beat Jash Modi of Maharashtra 3-0 while Divyansh Srivastava from UP entered his first final, beating rudra Narayan ghosh of West Bengal 3-0. His track record in the championships has been very good and it is to be seen how he fares in the final.

As for Cadet Girls’ semifinals, Kavyashree Baskar and Suhani Saini will meet each other for the third successive final. Both the Tamil Nadu and the Haryana girls made it a one-sided affair winning their matches 3-0 against Pritha Vartikar of Maharashtra and Oishiki Joardar of West Bengal.

Results: 

Sub-Junior Boys Singles: Final: Yashansh Malik (Del) bt H. Jeho (PSPBA) 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 13-15, 11-5; Semifinals: Yashansh Malik bt L. Alberto (PSPBA) 11-9, 11-13, 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9, H. jeho bt Payas Jain (Del) 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6.

Sub-Junior Girls Singles: Final: Anusha Kutumbale (MP) bt Tanisi Kirtani (Goa) 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 15-1311-8; Semifinals: Anusha Kutumbale bt Swastika Ghosh (Mah) 8-11, 11-5,11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, Tanisi Kirtani bt Poymantee Baisya (WB) 10-12, 11-9, 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.

Cadet Boys Singles: Final: Preyesh Raj (TN) bt Divyansh Srivastava (UP) 12-14, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10; Semifinals: Preyesh Raj bt Jash Modi (Mah) 11-9, 11-8, 11-7, Divyansh Srivastava bt Rudra Narayan Ghosh (WB) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.

Cadet Girls Singles: Final: Kavyashree Baskar (TN) bt Suhana Saini (Har) 10-12, 12-10, 15-13, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6; Semifinals: Suhana Saini bt Pritha Vartikar (Mah) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5, Kavyashree Baskar bt Oishiki Joardar (WB) 11-4, 14-12, 11-9.