13 year old Neil Mulye from Millennium International School, Pune, gave a wonderful display of his indomitable spirit, to win the Sub Junior Singles crown at the Dr. Ramesh Prabhoo Memorial 82nd Maharashtra State Table Tennis Championship organized by The Suburban District Table Tennis Association( TSTTA) , Mumbai.
The champion Neil Mulye of Pune proudly poses with the champions’ trophy and certificate.
Talented Neil exhibited tremendous strong self discipline at crucial stages while playing all his matches in this event, including the exciting final match played against Nanded’s Amish Athavle, which he won closely 4-3 with the game scores 8-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-2, 11-9. This match was the best contest between two left handers, which was enjoyed by the spectators present at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle, Mumbai today evening. Usually, we notice a lot of noise from the players in between the rallies in cadet and sub Junior events, but these two players had kept their cool, preserving their energy to plan their strategies during the match.
Earlier in the semi finals Neil had to fight hard from the edge of defeat to recover and turn the tables on Kushal Patel of TSTTA, Mumbai, in a match that went the distance. Down 0-3 Neil staged a remarkable fightback and went on to win the remaining four games to record a thrilling 2-11, 4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11, 11-5 victory to advance into final. Neil is being coached by his father- Chhatrapati awardee Upendra Mulye, who is still active with his game at the National and international level in the Veterans’ section, winning medals for Maharashtra. This was Neil’s first title in the State Championship and hence it turned out to be the best gift the father received from his dear son on the eve of Republic day.
The second semi-final was another close affair with Nanded’s tall and stylish Amish getting the better of Kushal Chopda of Nashik also in a well fought seven games battle with the game scores 3-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 3-11, 11-6. It was for the first time in this tournament, a player from Nanded district entered the finals, which saw the dominance of players from Mumbai, Pune and Thane. It was his bad luck that he lost narrowly in the finals.
There was some consolation for the Nashik lad Kushal as he defeated his namesake Mumbai’s Kushal 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10 later in the third-fourth place encounter.
Results –
Sub-junior boys – quarter-finals:
Kushal Patel (TSTTA) beat Udit Sachdev (THN) beat 11-7, 7-11 11-2, 11-8;
Neil Mule (PNA) beat Gaurav Panchangam (THN) 13-11, 11-9, 11-4;
Amish Athavle (NDD) beat Swastik Atnikar (THN) 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-9;
Kushal Chopda (NSK) beat Sanskar Bask (TSTTA) 11-7, 11-6, 14-12.
Semi-finals: Neil Mule (PNA) beat Kushal Patel (TSTTA) 2-11, 4-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 13-11, 11-5;
Amish Athavle (NDD) beat Kushal Chopda (NSK) 3-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 3-11, 11-6.
Final: Neil Mule (PNA) beat Amish Athavle (NDD) 8-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-2, 11-9.
Third-fourth place: Kushal Chopda (NSK) beat Kushal Patel (TSTTA) 5-11, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10.