Organising a big tournament and that too a State Veterans Table Tennis Championship is not an easy job . But, Shruti Kanade Joshi did it successfully along with her friend Shilpa Takalkar Joshi a Former national level TT player, at Savlaram Kreeda Sankul, Dombivali last week end. In short, it was all women organised event. But, what is to be highly appreciated is that in spite of making all the arrangements for this tournament at this venue, Shruti also participated and performed very well in this tournament , winning the Women’s 40+ title, after knocking down second seeded Shravani Dhapre of Mumbai and Sarika Varade of Nasik successively, in semi finals and finals of this event. Shruti and Shilpa had really worked very hard for almost two weeks to plan and make arrangements for this big event, under their banner S & S Sports management , which was held in memory of Late Shirish Benare, former TT player and highly respected person from Thane District.
Shruti poses along with trophies and mementos to be presented
Another lady who impressed with her consistent performance was Dr. Anagha Joshi from Mumbai , who won her fifth title of this season, beating Trupti Machve from Thane in the finals of Women’s50+ event. Her regular practice partner Suhas Dandekar was more than happy to share Anagha’s new record of winning five consecutive titles. Dashing hard hitter and favourite Mangala Saraf also proved her supremacy in the Women’s 60+ Singles event winning the title in this event. Preeti Pardeshi emerged the winner in Women’s 65+ round- robin matches.
Shruti ( Standing in Centre front row )and Shilpa standing 3rd from Left back row) pose with some prize winners, Officials and guests of honour.
In the Men’s Singles event Manish Rawat from Solapur dominated his opposition in Men’s 40+ event winning all his matches with ease. However, Men’s 50+ saw good competition, to witness with Dr. Nitin Toshniwal also from Solapur , emerging winner . He had tough time against Prasad Naik in semi finals, which he won 3-2. Naveen Salian from Mumbai who lost to Dr.Nitin in finals, also had a tough time before overcoming Sarosh Shroff also from Mumbai.
National Veterans’ Champion Prakash Kelkar also proved his class in Men’s 60+, when he beat Anil Rasam in five well contested games. Prakash had lost to Anil in last tournament , but avenged his defeat this time. In the other Men’s age groups, Suhas Kulkarni, Pinakin Sampat and A.S.Shaikh won their respective age group titles in 65+, 70+ and 75+ . Pinakin who was seeded 3rd beat top seed Satish in a battle of wits.
Shilpa welcoming the guests before prize distribution function.
The Men’s team event which was also held in this tournament also saw a good competition from tams from different parts of Maharashtra playing in the two different sections of 40+ and 60+. Some of the teams had encouraged women participants . Dr. Nitin Toshniwal’s Solapur team which was well balanced with inclusion of strong players like Manish Rawat and Prasad Naik prevented favourites Nashik team from winning the title. In 60+ team event PJ Hindu Gymkhana Mumbai defeated Prabodhankar Thackeray Kreeda Sankul, Vile Parle, to lift the title.
For the first time Gifts were presented to all the winners, besides cash Prizes , Trophies . Trophies were presented to all runners up and medals with certificates to all, including losing semi finalists. And, this is certainly to be appreciated. MSTTA Office bearers Mr. Rajeev Bodas, Yatin Tipnis were also present along with family members of Late Shirish Benare and his close friends as guests of honour . Savio,Khdekar, Satish did a good job along with their tam of Umpires for smooth conduct of the tournament. Above all, the food arrangements were good. Overall, it was a well organised tournament and turned out to be a perfect tribute to Late Shirish Benare, a former TT player and a true lover of TT from Thane District.
Results in detail of all individual matches from Quarter final onwards :
Men’s Singles 75+
Quarter : Satish Shirisath(NSK) [Seed – 2] Bt Vinod Dighe(THN) 11/3,7/11,11/9,11/6
Semi-Final: A S Shaikh(MCD) [Seed – 1] Bt Ashok Koppikar(NSK) 11/7,11/8,11/9
Semi-Final: Satish Shirisath(NSK) [Seed – 2] Bt Devkinandan Agarwal(THN) 11/8,11/4,11/4
Final: A S Shaikh(MCD) [Seed – 1] Bt Satish Shirisath(NSK) [Seed – 2] 8/11,11/5,11/3,11/6
Men’s Singles 70+
Quarter :Satish Kulkarni(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Kamesh Bhonde(PNA) 11/4,11/3,11/4
Quarter : Girish Sawant(MSD) [Seed – 4] Bt T.m. Kammu(THN) 7/11,11/6,11/9,11/8
Semi-Final: Satish Kulkarni(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Girish Sawant(MSD) [Seed – 4] 11/5,11/7,8/11,11/6
Semi-Final: Pinakin Sampat(MSD) [Seed – 3] Bt Dilip Kudtarkar(PNA) [Seed – 2] 11/9,11/4,11/3
Final: Pinakin Sampat(MSD) [Seed – 3] Bt Satish Kulkarni(MSD) [Seed – 1] 11/8,14/12,8/11,9/11,11/4
Men’s Singles 65+
Quarter : Yogesh Desai(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Jitu Mavani(MSD) [Seed – 8] 11/4,11/6,11/5
Quarter :Ulhas Shirke(MSD) [Seed – 4] Bt Shivanand Kundaje(NSK) [Seed – 5] 10/12,11/3,7/11,11/8,11/2
Quarter: Percy Mehta(MCD) [Seed – 3] Bt Suhas Dandekar(MSD) [Seed – 6] 11/6,11/3,11/8
Quarter: Suhas Kulkarni(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Jaysingh Wagh(SNG) 11/2,11/4,11/6
Semi-Final: Ulhas Shirke(MSD) [Seed – 4] Bt Yogesh Desai(MSD) [Seed – 1] 6/11,11/6,11/8,11/9
Semi-Final: Suhas Kulkarni(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Percy Mehta(MCD) [Seed – 3] 7/11,11/9,11/4,11/9
Final: Suhas Kulkarni(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Ulhas Shirke(MSD) [Seed – 4] 11/1,11/3,11/4
Men’s Singles 60+
Quarter :Anil Rasam(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Girish Acharya(MSD) 11/6,11/4,11/6
Quarter: Jayant Kulkarni(MCD) [Seed – 4] Bt Avinash Joshi(PNA) [Seed – 5] 11/5,9/11,9/11,11/9,11/9
Quarter :Harish Salvi(PNA) [Seed – 6] Bt Rohidas Garud(PNA) [Seed – 3] 11/8,11/8,11/9
Quarter :Prakash Kelkar(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Naresh Shah(MSD) 11/4,11/3,11/6
Semi-Final: Anil Rasam(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Jayant Kulkarni(MCD) [Seed – 4] 4/11,11/9,9/11,11/4,11/4
Semi-Final: Prakash Kelkar(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Harish Salvi(PNA) [Seed – 6] 11/5,11/3,11/2
Final: Prakash Kelkar(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Anil Rasam(MSD) [Seed – 1] 9/11,9/11,11/2,11/8,11/5
Men’s Singles 50+
Quarter: Nitin Toshniwal(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Binal Thacker(MSD) 11/6,11/3,15/13
Quarter :Prasad Naik(MCD) [Seed – 4] Bt Bhushan Nevgi(THN) 6/11,11/6,10/12,11/6,11/7
Quarter :Naveen Salian(MCD) [Seed – 3] Bt Nilesh Limaye(THN) [Seed – 11] 11/9,11/7,13/11
Quarter :Sarosh Shroff(MCD) [Seed – 7] Bt Ram Kadam(MSD) [Seed – 2] 5/11,11/7,14/12,6/11,11/7
Semi-Final: Nitin Toshniwal(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Prasad Naik(MCD) [Seed – 4] 11/9,11/1,5/11,9/11,11/4
Semi-Final: Naveen Salian(MCD) [Seed – 3] Bt Sarosh Shroff(MCD) [Seed – 7] 6/11,8/11,11/7,11/4,13/11
Final: Nitin Toshniwal(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Naveen Salian(MCD) [Seed – 3] 11/8,11/6,11/6
Men’s Singles 40+
Quarter: : Manish Rawat(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Gurucharansingh Gill(MSD) [Seed – 8] 11/6,11/4,11/6
Quarter: Krupal Deshpande(PNA) [Seed – 12] Bt Sameer Bhate(MSD) [Seed – 4] 12/10,11/8,11/3
Quarter: : Omkar Jog(NSK) [Seed – 6] Bt Deepesh Abhyankar(PNA) [Seed – 3] 4/11,11/8,11/9,6/11,14/12
Quarter: : Pankaj Rahane(NSK) [Seed – 2] Bt Suhas Rane(MSD) [Seed – 7] 11/5,7/11,11/5,11/6
Semi-Final: Manish Rawat(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Krupal Deshpande(PNA) [Seed – 12] 11/4,11/8,11/8
Semi-Final: Omkar Jog(NSK) [Seed – 6] Bt Pankaj Rahane(NSK) [Seed – 2] 15/17,11/6,11/8,11/8
Final: Manish Rawat(SOL) [Seed – 1] Bt Omkar Jog(NSK) [Seed – 6] 11/6,11/7,11/4
Women’s Singles 40+
Quarter: : Sadiya Vanjara(MCD) Bt Sivapriya Naik(THN) 11/4,11/5,11/9
Quarter: : Shravani Dhapre(MCD) [Seed – 2] Bt Swati Thube(THN) 11/6,11/4,11/9
Semi-Final: Sarika Varade(PNA) [Seed – 1] Bt Sadiya Vanjara(MCD) 11/5,11/9,11/1
Semi-Final: Shruti Kanade-joshi(THN) Bt Shravani Dhapre(MCD) [Seed – 2] 11/6,6/11,11/6,13/11
Final: Shruti Kanade-joshi(THN) Bt Sarika Varade(PNA) [Seed – 1] 11/9,8/11,12/10,11/9
Women’s Singles 50+
Quarter: : Anagha Joshi(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Vaishali Malvankar(MSD) 11/5,14/12,11/6
Quarter: : Trupti Machwe(THN) [Seed – 4] Bt Rohini Ailwar(NGP) 16/14,9/11,11/6,11/9
QuarterFinal : Manisha Pradhan(MSD) Bt Sneha Padhye(MSD) [Seed – 2] 11/8,10/12,11/9,12/10
Semi-Final: Anagha Joshi(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Trupti Machwe(THN) [Seed – 4] 11/8,11/3,11/7
Semi-Final: Manisha Pradhan(MSD) Bt Sarita Korday(MSD) [Seed – 3] 8/11,11/6,11/9,11/5
Final: Anagha Joshi(MSD) [Seed – 1] Bt Manisha Pradhan(MSD) 11/5,11/5,11/2
Women’s Singles 60+
Quarter: Sunanda Rao(MCD) Bt Shubha Ghate(MCD) 12/10,11/2,11/9
Quarter: : Deepa Jain(MSD) Bt Rama Mangal(MSD) 11/4,11/2,13/11
Semi-Final: Sunanda Rao(MCD) Bt Ujwala Marathe(MSD) [Seed – 1] 14/12,11/6,11/6
Semi-Final: Mangala Saraf(MSD) [Seed – 2] Bt Deepa Jain(MSD) 11/5,14/12,11/7
Final: Mangala Saraf(MSD) [Seed – 2] Bt Sunanda Rao(MCD) 11/6,11/6,11/6
Winner of Women’s 65+ was Preeti Pardesi , who received a trophy.
Results of Doubles event were not available.
( Results Courtesy : Satish Pingale)