Date:28/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102856781600.htm

Sport - Table Tennis

Double for Banu

ANANTAPUR: G. Jitendra Kumar claimed the men’s singles crown, while it was a golden double for Nikhat Banu in the women’s and junior girls’ sections of the Vincent Ferrer State-ranking table tennis tournament that concluded at the District Sports Authority Indoor Stadium here on Saturday.

It was a facile final for Jitendra, who broke little sweat to defeat T. Arundhar 11-3, 11-1, 11-7, 11-8, while Nikhat, a ninth standard student grappling with ill-health, was stretched in the women’s showdown.

The Arundhar-Jitendra rivalry dates back to their junior days, but Saturday’s final was too one-sided with the dice loaded too heavily in favour of Jitendra, a probationary officer with Dena Bank. Arundhar’s defence being his forte could do little to contain his opponent’s largely forehand loop driven game. Arundhar’s service seemed low on variety and lacked bite, so much so that Jitendra on a couple of occasions returned with smashes.

The latter, a finalist in the 2005 inter-institutional championships at Delhi, in contrast looked hard to beat in defence, intercepting almost everything Arundhar hurled at him.

The results: Men: Final: G. Jitendra Kumar bt T. Arundhar 11-3, 11-1, 11-7, 11-8. Semifinals: Jitendra bt Krishna Kiriti 11-13, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5; Arundhar bt Karan Mutha 11-6, 11-9, 11-3, 11-3. Boys: Youth final: Kiriti bt Karan Mutha 8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Semifinals: Kiriti bt A.V. Anish 11-2, 1-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7; Karan bt G. Vishal K. Reddy 11-2, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-8. Juniors final: P. Vignay Reddy bt Ch.S.S.V. Ramana 11-9, 13-11, 9-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8. Sub-juniors: Ramana bt V.S. Kaushik 12-10, 11-13, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6. Cadets final: Purna Srivatsa bt C.V. Srihari 11-8, 11-7, 12-10. Women: Final: Nikhat Banu bt P. Srilaxmi 3-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7. Semifinals: Banu bt K. Harshitha 4-11, 11-8, 16-14, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8; Srilaxmi bt K. Bhavana 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6. Girls: Juniors final: Nikhat Banu bt Saira Banu 11-5, 11-5, 11-5, 11-2. Sub-juniors final: K. Bhavana bt Harshitha 5-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9. Cadets final: K. Spoorthy bt S. Akshi 11-13, 11-8, 10-12, 16-14, 11-8. — Special Correspondent