Vijayawada, September 9: Deepit Rajesh Patil and Prapti Sen, playing best finals of their life, won their maiden Junior Boys and Junior Girls titles in the 11Sports National Ranking (South Zone) Table Tennis Championships at the DRM Municipal Indoor Hall here today.

Both finals went down to the wire and the ones that kept their cool carried home the winners’ purse of Rs. 22,000 and Rs, 19,800, respectively, in what was first appearance for all finalists

Deepit overcame a charged Raegan Albuquerque 4-3 and Prapti, with defeat staring at her face at 1-3 fought fervently to triumph 4-3 over Madhya Pradesh’s Anusha Kutumbale.

In the needle Boys’ final, it was difficult to predict the winner as Deepit and Raegan, knowing each other’s game well, indulged in fast rallies and drove well, too., taking alternate games. But when latter missed his first match-point in the decider, Deepit didn’t repeat the mistake. Cashing in on first opportunity, with serve on, sent down the crucial winner to lift the glittering trophy.

A similar drama was more or less enacted by the two girls but Prapti had to pull herself out of depth before outwitting her MP rival. Both players, good at forehand drives, also employed the backhands effectively. But what clinched the final in Prapti’s favour was a service fault by the Indore girl besides Prapti's ability to be one-up over Anusha, particularly whenever the chances presented, as she sent down scorching forehands without being challenged.

Junior Boys Winner Deepit R Patil (MHR)

The Deepit Patil proved a better player on the day as Delhi’s Shivjit Singh Lamba found to his chagrin in the semifinals. The tall Maharashtra boy’s execution of shots was too good and using both flanks he undid Shivjit’s brave efforts in the first game. But, out of steam, the Delhi boy surrendered meekly (4-0), going from bad to worse.

Raegan, a former PSPB Academy boy who now plays for Maharashtra, had the measure of state-mate Chinmaya Somaiya in the first two games before allowing the latter to stage his recovery to his discomfort. But Raegan, driving brilliantly with a powerful forehand, said stopped his rival’s progress by taking the next two games for a 4-2 triumph.

Prapti Sen, with her perseverance, beat Nikita Sarkar of North Bengal 4-3 in an engrossing semifinal encounter. The West Bengal girl was superior with his attacks and a subdued Nikita soon down 1-3. However, the North Bengal girl made fine efforts, capitalizing on Prapti’s mistakes, especially when she faulted on her backhand, and levelled 3-3. However, in the decider Prapti managed to pull it off in the nick of time with the least margin.

Madhya Pradesh’s Anusha Kutumbale was visibly in trouble after being down 0-2 and then 3-2 against Maharashtra’s Manushree Patil. But she raised her game in the last two even as Manushree was faulting on many occasions to emerge victorious 4-3 and secure her place in the final.    

Some of the seeded players, including top-seed Manush Shah went down fighting to unseeded Deepit Patil 4-3 (10-12, 8-12, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 9-11) in the quarterfinals while third and fourth seeds, Payas Jain and Anukram Jain, respectively, losing to Vishwa Deenadayalan of Tamil Nadu 3-2 in the second round and Aadarsh Om Chetri 3-0 in the pre-quarters.

Among Junior Girls, top-seed Swastika Ghosh of Maharashtra lost to eighth seed Nikita Sarkar 1-4 (17-15, 7-11, 6-11, 10-12, 7-11) in the quarterfinals. Third-seed Radhapriya Goyal of Uttar Pradesh lost without a fight in the second round itself to Delhi’s Lakshita Narang 0-3.   

Results:

Junior Boys: Final: Rajesh R. Patil (Mah) bt Raegan Albuquerque (Mah) 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 13-11; Semi-finals:Deepit Rajesh Patil bt Shivjit Singh Lamba (Del) 11-9, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6; Raegan Albuquerque bt Chinmaya Somaiya (Mah) 14-12, 11-4, 7-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6; Quarterfinals: Deepit R. Patil bt Manush Shah (Guj) 12-10, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-9; Shivjit Singh Lamba bt Adarsh Om Chetri (Del) 9-11, 9-11, 14-12, 11-8, 13-11, 11-7; Chinmaya Somaiya bt Vishwa Deenadayalan (TN) 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9; Raegan Albuquerque bt Shreyaans Goel (Del) 11-9, 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.

Junior Girls Winner Prapti Sen In Action In The Final

Junior Girls: Final: Prapti Sen (WB) bt Anusha Kutumbale (MP) 13-11, 14-16, 8-11, 14-16, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8; Semi-finals:Prapti Sen bt Nikita Sarkar (NB) 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9; Anusha Kutumbale bt Manushree Patil (Mah) 5-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 12-14, 11-6, 11-8; Quarterfinals: Nikita Sarkar bt Swastika Ghosh (Mah) 15-17, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7; Prapti Sen bt R.Kajol Sunar (AP) 11-6, 12-14, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7; Manushree Patil bt Lakshita Narang (Del) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8; Anusha Kutumbale bt Suhana Saini (Har) 11-6, 14-12, 11-7, 11-6.