Thane, November 3: Preyesh Raj Suresh of Tamil Nadu defeated Aadil Anand of Maharashtra 4-0 even as Suhana Saini of Haryana downed Lakshita Narang of Delhi 4-2 to claim gold in the Sub-Junior Boys and Girls sections of the UTT National Ranking (West Zone) Table Tennis Championships which ended at the Sulochana Devi Singhania School here today.

Preyesh, for whom it was the second title, put it across the tentative Aadil, particularly confused with the Tamil Nadu left-hander’s deceptive service. The Maharashtra boy did show some resolve but it couldn’t last against the guile of Preyesh as the score-line indicates.

Aadil Anand hardly dropped a sweat as he had the measure of his Tamil Nadu opponent, Tharun Shanmugham, to wrin 4-0 easily and, at the adjacent table, Preyesh Raj Suresh, seeking another title, accounted for West Bengal’s Ankur Bhattacharjee, also in identical fashion.

Suhana was down 0-2 in the final against Lakshita. From that situation, the Delhi girl seemed the favourite. With a second title of the season at stake for both, they were expected of their best showing and it came from the Haryana girl who, after winning her first game at 13-11, turned the tables on Lakshita.  

However, it was not as easy for Suhana Saini who had to bring out her best against Maharashtra’s Pritha Vartikar. The latter managed to take a game of her Haryana rival but that was all she could do in the face of a strong game plan adopted by Suhana. Lakshita Narang, on the other hand, toyed with Taneesha Kotecha, also of Maharashtra, but she had to endure herself in at two successive games in which she was stretched.

In a thrilling all- PSPBA Cadet Boys final, Priyaunj Bhattacharyya just overcame Divyaj Rajkhowa Roy but the 4-0 score-line does not reflect the struggle and perseverance of Priyaunj as Divyaj, despite having the chances, failed to make a match of it. This was Priyanuj’s second singles title after the first he won in the South Zone. It also gives an indication that the new crop at the academy has started showing growth.

In the semi-finals, Priyunj Bhattacharrya straightway hit form and opened the lead before his Academy paddler, Kshetrimayum Segal Singh, levelled the score. But Priyung was too good for a fighting Singh as his resistance lasted in managing just a little longer than his opponent would have expected. Yet, Priyaunj prevailed to enter the final. In the other semis, Divyaj Roy, another PSPBA boy, defeated Maharashtra’s Hriday Deshpande 4-0 despite the latter showing his aggressive intent when he going was good. But it did not last longer and he had to settle with the bronze.

Jennifer Varghese, playing her first final ever, showed a lot of gumption and she displayed it in ample measure in a crunch situation in the decider against Sharvani Nagam as the score was titled at 3-3 and 9-all. It was anybody’s match at that junction and the Maharashtra girl kept her cool to collect the last two points under pressure. The Tamil Nadu girl, despite countering well throughout, could not finish with the bronze.

For Jennifer, it was a tough against Tamil Nadu’s M. Hansini who did well to take her the full distance. She was down 1-2 but the extended fourth game that she won restored the TN girl’s confidence as the issue went to the decider. But it was the Maharashtra girl who played brilliantly to outwit Hansini.  Her loss was avenged by state mate Sharvani Nagam who defeated West Bengal’s Nandini Saha 3-2 after being down 1-2.

Results:

Sub-Junior Boys Singles: Final: Preyesh Raj Suresh (TN) bt Aadil Anand (Mah) 11-4, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6; Semi-finals: Aadil Anand bt Tharun Shanmugham (TN) 11-7, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6; Preyesh Raj Suresh bt Ankur Bhattacharjea (WB) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7.

Sub-Junior Girls Singles: Final: Suhana Saini (Har) bt Lakshita Narang (Del) 4-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7; Semi-finals: Suhana Saini bt Pritha Vartikar (Mah) 11-9, 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11; Lakshita Narang bt Taneesha Kotecha (Mah) 11-8, 12-10, 15-13, 11-7.

Cadet Boys Singles: Final: Priyaunj Bhattacharrya (PSPBA) bt Divyaj Roy Rajkhowa (PSPBA) 12-10, 14-12, 17-15, 11-9; Semi-finals: Priyaunj Bhattacharrya bt K. Segal Singh (PSPBA) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7; Divyaj Roy bt Hriday Deshpande (Mah) 11-9, 11-4, 9-11, 11-4.

Cadet Girls Singles: Final: Jennifer Varghese (Mah) bt Sharvani Nagam (TN) 10-12, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9; Semi-finals:  Jennifer Varghese bt M. Hansini (TN) 2-11, 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4; Sharvani Nagam bt Nandini Saha (WB) 6-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-5, 11-4.