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Mithilli stuns Paulami Ghatak

Suresh Parekh in Rajkot

Sixth seed M S Mithilli of Tamil Nadu came up with a brilliant display to outlast second seed Paulami Ghatak of Bengal and enter the final of the women's singles in the National ranking table tennis championships at the Indoor stadium in Rajkot.

Mithilli won 15-21, 21-18, 14-21, 21-15, 21-15 to make the final.

Paulami, who is the lone Indian woman to make it to the Sydney Olympics, began confidently, winning the first game 15-21. But found her touch in the second to win it 21-18. Paulami was again at her best in the third game. She repeatedly changed tactics during the game and never allowed Mithilli to settle down to a rhythm before winning the game at 14-21.

Paulami could well have won the match in the fourth game after establishing a 7-2 lead. However, she turned erratic, played loose shots and gave away several points to her lesser experienced rival. Mithilli levelled scores and finished off the game with a superb cross-court shot.

Two sets all meant that a battle royal was in the offiing in the final game. But it was not to be. Paulami started well, picking the first four point rather easily. But Mithilli was determined not to give in. She mixed her shots and often caught Paulami on the wrong foot with down the line shots that had the crowd cheering. The scores ran neck and neck till Mithilli broke away and raced to the game and match at 21-15.

In the other semi-final, top seed Mauma Das overcame a first game reverse to outclass Mallika Parikh 21-19, 13-21, 14-21, 14-21.

In the men's singles semi-finals, S.Raman, by far the most accomplished player on the circuit, proved too good for Saumadeep Roy, winning 21-14, 21-7, 19-21, 21-11, while Arup Basak, the third seed, got the better of Shivaji Dutta 21-17, 11-21, 21-12, 21-15.

Results:
Junior boys' singles (semi-finals): Ankur Mahajan (Mah) bt Niloy Basak (Bengal) 22-20, 16-21, 17-21, 22-20, 14-21; Arunav Ganguly (PSCBA) bt Pathik Mehta (Guj) 19-21, 21-12, 21-16, 21-16.
Final: Arunav Ganguly (PSCBA) bt Ankur Mahajan (Mah) 21-10, 13-21, 21-10, 18-21, 21-14.
Junior girls' singles (semi-finals): Shushmita Roy (Ben) bt S.Sangeeta (TN) 21-12, 21-17, 21-13; Maushami Paul (Ben) bt Madhurika Patkar (Mah)21-17, 21-19, 21-13.
Final: Shushmita Roy (Ben) bt Mausami Paul (Ben) 21-14, 21-16, 22-20.

Men's (quarter-finals): Saumadeep Roy (Ben) bt Bhushan Thakur (Rlys) 21-16, 15-21, 21-16, 17-21, 21-12; Shivaji Dutta (Rlys) bt Subhajit Dutta (PSCBA) 21-17, 21-15, 23-21; S Raman (IOC) bt Saurav Chakraborthy (Ben) 21-14, 14-21, 21-15, 21-11; Arup Basak (PSCBA) bt.Arjun Dutta (PSCBA) 21-15, 17-21, 10-21, 21-16, 21-17.

Semi-finals: S Raman (IOC) bt Saumadeep Roy (Ben) 21-14, 21-7, 19-21, 21-11; Arup Basak (PSCBA) bt Shivaji Dutta (Rlys) 21-17, 11-21, 21-12, 21-15.

Women's (quarter-finals): M S Mithilli (PSCBA) bt A Chakraborthy (Rlys) 21-15, 21-13, 21-12; Mauma Das (PSCBA) bt Avanti Sinha (LIC) 17-21, 21-16, 21-16, 21-16; Mallika Parikh (Rlys) bt N R Indu (PSCB) 21-17, 12-21, 21-14, 13-21, 21-19; Paulami Ghatak (PSCBA) bt Kasturi Chakraborthy (PSCBA) 17-21, 21-16, 21-16, 21-16.

Semi-finals: Mauma Das (PSCBA) bt Mallika Parikh (Rlys) 19-21, 13-21, 14-21, 14-21; M S Mithilli (TN) bt Paulami Ghatak (PSCBA) 15-21, 21-18, 14-21, 21-15, 21-15.