TABLE TENNIS | Double crown for Syndrela, Payas claims men’s title

Syndrela Das marked her 17th birthday in style, claiming a double crown, while Payas Jain bounced back from the disappointment of losing the Commonwealth Championship final three weeks ago to headline the final day of the UTT National ranking table tennis tournament at The Sportz Hub here on Sunday.

On an action-packed day, the senior paddlers negotiated their last three rounds while the youth events reached their climax. Syndrela, who played seven matches without dropping one game, outclassed fellow teenager Divyanshi Bhowmick in the women’s final.

Divyanshi, fresh from winning the under-17 title and having bowed out to Ananya Muralidharan in the U-19 semifinal, tried hard to disrupt Syndrela’s rhythm. But the Kolkata paddler’s trademark backhand winners proved decisive. Earlier, Syndrela had accounted for Ananya in the youth girls’ final.

The men’s final, between two members of India’s Asian Games squad, produced more engrossing rallies. Payas’ assured service receiving helped him breach Manav Thakkar’s defensive fort as he battled his way to a five-game victory.

In the youth boys’ final, Priyanuj Bhattacharyya edged Abhinandh P.B. in a 65-minute thriller. Despite conceding the fifth-game tie-break 21-23, Priyanuj responded with an aggressive approach to pocket the next two games and seal the title.

The results: Men: Final: Payas Jain (Del) bt Manav Thakkar (PSPB) 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-8. Semifinals: Payas bt Jeet Chandra (RSPB) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8, 1-11, 11-7; Manav bt Ankur Bhattacharjee (Har) 12-10, 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8.

Women: Final: Syndrela Das (WB) bt Divyanshi Bhowmick (Mah) 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9. Semifinals: Divyanshi bt Yashaswini Ghorpade (PSPB) 11-4, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-2; Syndrela bt Swastika Ghosh (PSPB) 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9.

Youth (U-19): Boys: Final: Priyanuj Bhattacharrya (RSPB) bt Abhinandh P.B. (TN) 9-11, 11-5, 11-3, 8-11, 21-23, 11-4, 11-7. Semifinals: Priyanuj bt Punit Biswas (WB) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3; Abhinandh bt Soham Mukherjee (WB) 12-10, 12-10, 11-9.

Girls: Final: Syndrela bt Ananya Muralidharan (TN) 11-8, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4. Semifinals: Syndrela bt Naisha Rewaskar (Mah) 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7; Ananya bt Divyanshi Bhowmick (Mah) 11-5, 2-11, 11-7, 11-7.