Indore, March 17 The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) men further solidified their long-standing dominance with a clinical title win, while the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reclaimed the women's trophy after a two-year absence at the Senior Table Tennis National Championships here on Tuesday.
The PSPB men added another trophy to their already impressive collection, dominating West Bengal 3-0 in a commanding display.
The match began with a competitive edge, as Payas Jain overcame Ankur Bhattacharjee in four games. Payas won the first game 12-10 and took control with a 11-4 victory in the second, before Ankur bounced back strongly to win the third 11-1.
Just as momentum seemed to shift, Payas regained his composure, winning the fourth 11-9 to give PSPB the early lead.
From there, the PSPB players tightened their grip.
Manav Thakkar, India's top-ranked table tennis player (No. 34), showcased his skills against Aniket Sen Choudhury.
After surviving a closely contested first game 15-13, Manav dominated the next two games 11-5, 11-5. His aggressive backhand returns and controlled rallies put PSPB firmly in control.
The third game provided the final flourish, though not without resistance.
Harmeet Desai initially looked in complete control, winning the first two games 11-4, 11-2 against Bodhisatwa Chaudhury. He even led 9-3 in the third, but the Bengal player staged a spirited comeback, winning that game 11-9 and then 11-6, forcing a deciding game.
However, Harmeet drew on his experience in the fifth game, holding his nerve in crucial rallies to seal the 11-8 victory and complete a comprehensive 3-0 win for PSPB.
In contrast, the women's final was a close contest that went down to the wire. RBI edged out PSPB 3-2 in a match characterized by momentum swings and clutch performances.
Results (Team):
Men: Final: PSPB beat West Bengal 3-0 (Payas Jain beat Ankur Bhattacharjee 12-10, 11-4, 1-11, 11-9; Manav Thakkar beat Aniket Sen Choudhury 15-13, 11-5, 11-5; Harmeet Desai beat Bodhisatwa Chaudhury 11-4, 11-2, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8).
Women: Final: RBI beat PSPB 3-2 (Sreeja Akula lost to Taneesha Kotecha 12-10, 12-10, 7-11, 13-15, 4-11; Ayhika Mukherjee lost to Yashswini Ghjorpade 7-11, 5-11, 8-11; Diya Chitale beat Syndrela Das 12-14, 12-10, 11-7, 14-12; Ayhika beat Taneesha 11-7, 11-4, 11-5; Sreeja beat Yashaswini 11-5, 4-11, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6).