Abhinand , Syndrela win titles

Thiruvananthapuram{Team Newsbuddy}: Abhinand once again showcased his dominance, securing the Under-17 Youth Boys title by defeating top seed Priyanuj Bhattacharyya of Assam 3-1. In the Girls’ category, Syndrela Das put on a commanding performance, sweeping past Kavya Bhatt of Maharashtra 3-0 to claim the trophy at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships held at the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium .

Abhinand, known for his composure under pressure, initially struggled against Priyanuj, who controlled the opening game with ease. However, once the Tamil Nadu player found his rhythm, the tide turned. Abhinand levelled the score in the second game, clinching it on his sixth game point. From that moment, he took charge, capitalizing on Priyanuj’s unforced errors. The Assam player, rattled by the sudden shift in momentum, could not regain his confidence and faltered in subsequent games, allowing Abhinand to seal a well-deserved victory in style.

For Syndrela, the match was a clinical display of skill and consistency. Kavya, who had impressed with her performances in the quarterfinals and semifinals, could not counter Syndrela’s sharp and precise returns. The West Bengal player dictated the match’s pace, and Kavya’s errors mounted as she struggled to find her footing. Syndrela effortlessly wrapped up the match with no opportunity for recovery, making it look like a walk in the park as she claimed the Girls’ title with a dominant 3-0 victory.

Priyanuj, despite a tough challenge from Umesh Kumar of Tamil Nadu, managed to secure his place in the final. In the third game, the Assam player struggled to counter Umesh, who had his chances and even missed a couple of game points that could have turned the match. However, Priyanuj’s focus and brilliant play in the crucial moments helped him close out the match.

Tamil Nadu’s Abhinand faced a rocky start, losing the first game to Punit Biswas in a close contest. But once he found his rhythm, his backhand became a lethal weapon, overpowering the West Bengal opponent. After equalizing the score, Abhinand dominated, sealing the semifinal victory and advancing to yet another final.

The Boys’ quarterfinals were mostly straightforward, with the semifinalists showing their skill and confidence in outplaying their opponents. The only exception was the match between Umesh Kumar and Arush Reddy of Telangana, which extended to a third game. However, Umesh eventually sealed his spot in the semifinals.

Top seed Syndrela made quick work of UP’s Avani Tripathi, playing with her signature confidence and control. Avani struggled to keep pace with the top seed, constantly playing catch-up. In contrast, Kavya Bhatt, despite a 2-0 lead, faced some resistance from statemate Divyanshi Bhowmick. Divyanshi, in solid form, fought hard in the third game but Kavya remained relentless, securing the win early on to reach the final.

The Girls’ quarterfinals featured some early challenges, especially from Neeti Agrawal of Karnataka and Ankolika Chakraborty of West Bengal, who tested Syndrela and Kavya. However, both top players weathered the storm and advanced. On the other hand, Avani and Divyanshi cruised into the semifinals, defeating Suhani Mahajan from UP and Himanshi Chowdhary from Karnataka with ease.

Results:

Youth Boays U-17: Final: P.B. Abhinand (TN) bt Priyanuj Bhattacharyya (Asm) 5-11, 17-15, 11-7, 11-7.

Semifinals: Priyanuj bt Umesh Kumar (TN) 11-4, 11-7, 14-12; Abhinand bt Punit Biswas (WB) 9-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-3.

Quarterfinals: Priyanuj bt Aarjav Gupta (PSPBA) 3-0; Umesh bt Arush Reddy (Telg) 3-1; Punit bt K. Segal Singh (MNP) 3-0; Abhinand bt Priyanshu Karmakar (WB) 3-0.

Youth Girls U-17: Final: Syndrela Das (WB) bt Kavya Bhatt (Mah) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.

Semifinals: Syndrela bt Avani Tripathi (UP) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9; Kavya bt Divyanshi Bhowmick (Mah) 11-7,11-9, 8-11, 11-7.

Quarterfinals: Syndrela bt Neeti Agrawal (Kar) 3-1; Avani bt Suhani Mahajan (UP) 3-0; Kavya bt Ankolika Chakraborty (WB) 3-1; Divyanshi bt Himanshi Chowdhary (Kar) 3-0.