Chiplunkar triumphs

THIS IS THE WAY...Sanjay Nemlekar lost to Mahendra Chiplunkar in the men's final. MUMBAI, July 20: Mahendra Chiplunkar hardly broke sweat...

THIS IS THE WAY8230;Sanjay Nemlekar lost to Mahendra Chiplunkar in the men8217;s final.

MUMBAI, July 20: Mahendra Chiplunkar hardly broke sweat despite the oppressive steaming conditions to lift the men8217;s singles title of the Namrata Sports Association sponsored Mumbai Subarban table tennis tournament beating Sanjay Nemlekar in straight games tonight.

The third seed, representing Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, overwhelmed Central Bank of India left-handed top-seed 21-16, 25-23, 21-14 to claim his first title of the season.

With the men8217;s singles event being a gross disappointment at the Andheri Sports Complex, the feats of Mallika Parekh and Aditya Mahagaonkar will stand out.

Mallika yet again completed a triple crown her third in a row this season while Aditya scored a grand double sub-junior and boy8217;s titles.

And for sheer thrills and excitement, school boy Aditya8217;s fightback from two games down to pip Trilok Prabhune in the boy8217;s singles final will perhaps be regarded as the day8217;s feature match.

Twelve-year-old Aditya of Hansraj Morarjee school took time to adjust to his much taller opponents, colleting Prabhune8217;s top-spin.

But it wasn8217;t too late, even though the diminutive schoolboy trailed 17-21, 18-21 and with encouragement from coach Deepak Mani, Aditya8217;s rallies captivated the audience.

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Back came his effective blocking and aggressive counter flummoxed a fast tiring Prabhune. Aditya wrested the last three games 21-19, 22-20, 21-17 to add to his sub-junior crown won on Thursday he achieved a similar feat at the Ghatkopar Open.

Mallika Parekh has been setting the local TT circuit afire but spare a though for her run of success, however, staggering.

Nine triple crowns in her career and today8217;s feat making it a hat-trick for the 13-year-old international, much to the disappointment of 13-year-old No 2 seed Shalmali Mhatre who played bridesmaid to Mallika in both the girls and women8217;s finals.

A bout of typhoie and the ensuing weakness stifled Shalmali8217;s actions. The runner-up, however, had her moments in both finals.

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Mallika needed four games to beat Shalmali in the girls final and a gruelling five game struggle to clinch the women8217;s title.

The champion said she wasn8217;t focussed during this tournament and acknowledged that Shalmali8217;s dipping back-hand returns caused all sorts of problems. But her greater experience and game honed by recent international exposure held Mallika in good stead, despite her conceding several negative points. Mallika won the girls8217; final 21-15, 19-21, 21-18, 21-8 and the women8217;s title clash 21-17, 16-21, 21-16, 19-21, 21-13.

Results

Men8217;s singles semi-finals: Sanjay nemlekar bt Kunal Solanki 21-14, 21-16, 21-16; Mahendra Chiplunkar 21-11, 21-9, 21-19. Final: M Chiplunkar bt S Nemlekar 21-16, 25-23, 21-14.

Boys singles semi-finals: Aditya Mahagaonkar bt Karan Kapoor 21-14, 21-18 conceded; Trilok Prabhune bt 8230;8230;8230; 21-10, 21-15, 21-16. Final: Aditya Mahagaonkar bt Trilok Prabhune 17-21, 18-21, 21-17, 22-20, 21-17.

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Women8217;s singles semi-finals: Mallika Parekh bt Radhika Ghatnekar 21-14, 21-11, 21-14; Shalmali Mhatre bt Shruti Kanade 21-15, 21-7, 21-9. Final: Mallika bt Shalmali 21-17, 16-21, 21-16, 19-21, 21-13.

Girls singles semi-finals: Mallika Parekh bt Mugdha kanade 21-15, 21-12, 21-16; Shalmali Mhatre bt Janhvi Deshpande 21-14, 21-12, 21-23, 21-18.

Final: Mallika bt Shalmali 21-14, 19-21, 21-18, 21-8.