TT Nationals: Delhi and Maharashtra emerge as winners
December 7, 2019, Jammu
If Payas Jain played a key role in Delhi’s win in both Junior Boys and Youth Boys finals, it was Swastika Ghosh, who played the double role to perfection in serving the cause of Maharashtra A, who retained the Junior Girls trophy and added the Youth Girls crown in the 81st UTT Junior and Youth Nationals at the Indoor Hall of the MA Stadium, in Jammu.
Payas was more or less playing the role of a Manav Thakkar and leading the charge he and teammates defeated Gujarat 3-1 in what was a repeat of last year’s final. Chitrax Bhatt, who has a great potential to go up the ranks, was too good in the opening rubber and beat Aadarsh Om Chetri after leading 2-0.
Aadarsh did come back, but the Gujarat lad had a few aces up his sleeve to outwit him. But Payas downed Dhairya Parmar easily to bring Delhi on level before combining with Aadarsh against Chitrax and Dhairya to go 2-1 up. In the reverse singles, Payas lost the first game but steadied himself soon to win over Chitrax for the title.
In Youth Boys final, a strategic change brought about in the last minute by team management helped contain the rampaging Mohammed Ali of Telangana. He was the real thorn in the flesh of Delhi and could have stretched them, if not topple, as he did yesterday in the semifinal against Mizoram.
Results (Team Events):
Junior Boys: Final: Delhi bt Gujarat 3-1 (Aadarsh Om Chetri lost to Chitrax Bhatt 13-15, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, Payas Jain bt Dhairya Parmar 11-5, 11-8, 11-5, Aadarsh/Payas bt Chitrax/Dhairya 11-6, 12-10, 16-14, Payas Jain bt Chitrax Bhatt 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-4).
Junior Girls: Finals: Maharashtra A bt Bengal A 3-2 (Swastika Ghosh lost to Poymantee Baisya 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 10-12, Diya Chitale bt Munmun Kundu 11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, Pritha Vartikar/Diya bt Poymantee/Mummun 13-11, 11-9, 11-8, Diya Chitale lost to Poymantee Baisya 6-11, 9-11, 11-3, 6-11, Swastika Ghosh bt Munmun Kundu 11-7, 11-9, 11-2).
Youth Boys: Final: Delhi bt Telangana 3-0 (Payas Jain bt Mohammed Ali 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, Parth Virmani bt SFR Snehit 11-8, 11-4, 11-9, Yashansh Malik bt Siril Saroj Pala 11-4, 12-10, 11-8).
Youth Girls: Final: Maharashtra A bt Bengal A 3-0 (Manushree Patil bt Poymanee Baisya 11-7, 11-4, 2-11, 6-11, 13-11, Srushti Haleangadi bt Surbhi Patwari 11-9, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, Swastika Ghosh bt Premangi Gosh 11-7, 11-9, 11-7).
