Akshay Gogari led Such Warriors rallied splendidly to defeat Premjis 3-2 in the final of the MCF Premier Table Tennis league, hosted by Mandpeshwar Civil Federation at their sports complex at Borivali here last night. The winners received a cheque of Rs 15,000 and a trophy, while the runners-up had to settle for 10,000 prize money. The five-team league of Suchi Warriors, Premjis, Total Tigers, Omtex and Bhoom Shankar, was played on league-cum-knock out basis. Each tie comprised – open singles, veteran singles, junior singles and two doubles.
Captain Akshay Gogari with the winners trophy along with teammates after beating Premjis 3-2 in the final of the MCF Premier Table Tennis league, hosted by Mandpeshwar Civil Federation at their sports complex at Borivali.
After many ups and downs, Premjis and Suchi Warriors finished the league phase with six points each, having recorded identical 3-1 wins, but Premjis with +8 game- difference pipped Suchi Warriors (+4) to finish on top. However, both made the title round.
Siddhi Kolekar and Sohan Nirkhe gave Premjis a winning start as the pair gunned down Mahesh Soni and Omkar Makena in straight games (11-4, 11-7, 11-3) to go 1-0 up. But Suchi Warriors hit back in their next two singles with first their junior Tanish Oak, defeating Rahul Shenoi 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 to make it one-all, followed by lefthander Bimal Mehta, who unsettled his veteran rival Kaushik Unadkat with flurry of smashes and and drives to put their side ahead. But Premijis again proved to be better in the second doubles too. Their pair of Jyot Khot and Sandeep Shetty brought parity by scoring over Kunal Shah and Amit Srisikar to take the tie to wire. But then Suchi’s captain Akshay, who took risk and kept himself back for the deciding tie and this move paid off as Akshay totally outplayed his rival Asif Kazi in straight games to take Suchi Warriors to triumph in MCF’s inaugural premier league.
Results of the final:
Suchi Warriors bt Premjis 3-2: OPEN DOUBLES (1): Mahesh Soni/Omkar Makhana lost to Siddhi Kolekar/Sohan Nirkhe 4-11, 7-11, 3-11-3. JUNIOR SINGLES: Tanish Oak beat Rahul Shenai 11-6, 11-4, 11-6. VETERAN SINGLES: Bimal Mehta bt Kaushik Unadkat 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11—5; OPEN DOUBLES (2): Kunal Shah/Amit Sirsikar lost to Sandeep Shetty/Jyot Vora 10-11, 11-7, 2-11, 5-11; OPEN SINGLES: Akshay Gogari bt Asif Kazi 11-4, 11-6, 11-8.