Pritha Vartikar of Pune showed strong fighting qualities to quell the spirited fight from Ananya Chande (TSTTA) and claim the sub-junior girls’ singles title in the Dr Ramesh Prabhoo Memorial 82nd Maharashtra State Table Tennis tournament, organized by The Suburban District Table Tennis Association and played at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle, Mumbai on Wednesday.
In well-contested and thrilling final, both Pritha and Ananya played their hearts out and the contest went to the wire with the former managing to win by recording an 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5, 15-13, 10-12, 11-6 win.
Earlier in the last four round encounters, Ananya got the better of Jennifer Varghese of Nagpur in a long drawn 7-game encounter winning at 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 11-7, 9-11 and 11-5 to seal her place in the final.
Orange City’s upcoming paddler Jennifer had her chances but could not capitalize on them. The teenage girl got off to a solid start and won two of the first three games but failed to maintain the tempo.
Earlier in the quarter-finals, Jennifer Varghese downed Nashik’s Tanisha Kotecha 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 1-11, 11-5 to make it to the semifinals.
Results
Quarter-finals: Jennifer Varghese (NGP) bt Tanisha Kotecha (NSK) 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 1-11, 11-5; Ananya Chande (TSTTA) bt Keisha Jhaveri (MCD) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11; Mukta Dalvi (TSTTA) bt Sayali Wani (NSK) 11-9, 4-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4; Pritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Risha Mirchandani (TSTTA) 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11.
Semi-finals: Ananya Chande (TSTTA) bt Jennifer Varghese (NGP) 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5; Paritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Mukta Dalvi (TSTTA) 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 12-10.
Finals: Pritha Vartikar (PNA) bt Ananya Chande (TSTTA) 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-5, 15-13, 10-12, 11-6.
