Kiwis boogie on the beach

A severely upset stomach did not deter Niki as the she fashioned a superb victory partnering Angela to the pair’s first ever title and a cash prize of $3,000.

The New Zealand ladies beat a fighting Japanese team of Tokuna Ryoko and Kusuhara Chiaki in a three-set final 12-7 5-12 12-8.

The Kiwi women took the first set with a measure of ease, and appeared to carry their domination into the second with a 4-0 lead. The Japanese, playing their first ever international event together, however, fought back to take a 8-4 lead. The Japanese’s services won valuable points. TheHiroshima-based duo bounced back as the Kiwis lapsed into uncharacteristic errors with services coming straight at the body.

In a taut decider, the game hanged in balance with the table-tennis point system being enforced. At 8-8 it was anybody’s game but the Kiwis, thanks to fine anticipation and placing stole a march on their rivals who collected $1,200. Angela Stojanovic spiked the winner to seal the match.

In the semi-finals, the Kiwis won 15-7 over Thailand’s Rattnaporn Ariaisuk and Wiaiwan Ketmance while Japan’s Tokuna Ryoko and Kusuhara Chiaki got the better of Thailand’s A team of Manatsanan Pangka and Kamoltip Kulna in an absorbing contest that ended at 16-14.

Indian men’s pair of Rajakumar and Omar Mohsin went down in the semi-finals to Thailand’s second seeded pair of Thaweep Thonkamnmerd and Sataporn Sawangreung 10-15 after providing the cheers to the home fans in a 15-5 win over Japan’s Atumi Yosihiro and Mochizuki Tuyoshi in the play-off to make the last four.

The other Indian pair ofMohammad Jameeluddin and Mohammad Ghouse made their exit form the competition after losing to Pat Gulliner and John Cuff 10-15.