22 year old Siddhesh Pande of Thane District was in his elements and dished out some brilliant performances and went on to sideline fourth-seed Chinmay Somiya of The Suburban Table Tennis Association in six games, cruising to a 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6 victory in the Men’s singles final of the Dr. Ramesh Prabhoo Memorial 82nd Maharashtra State Table Tennis Championship organized by The Suburban District Table Tennis Association ( TSTTA) and played at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle, Mumbai on Thursday evening.
The victor & the vanquished: Siddhesh Pande (left) of Thane and Chinmay Somiya of TSTTA, Mumbai proudly pose with the champions’ and runner-up trophies and certificates.
The Thane paddler showed remarkable fighting qualities to win the first game. Trailing 4-10 he bounced back by winning the next seven games in a row to win the opening game. He went on to win the second to take a 2-0 lead. The TSTTA Mumbai paddler Chinmay not prepared to give up won the next two games to draw level before Siddhesh once dictated terms and quickly snatched the next two games to wrap up the match and emerge champion. Chinmay who had missed his chance of entering finals of Youth Boys’ event yesterday, made it possible today in the Men’s section, when managed to get the better of his teammate Shivam Das by pulling through in six games at 7-11, 13-11, 11-7, 14-16, 14-12, 11-3.
Winner, runner-up and semi finalists pose with guests and organisers after the prize distribution ceremony.
In the other semi final match Siddhesh had scored a sensational win against top seed Sanil Shetty of TSTTA, Mumbai in the semi-final. In a pulsating battle for supremacy Siddesh who has represented Indian in the Youth and Junior events fought well against the senior Indian star Sanil to record a deserving 11-8, 8-11, 15-13, 12-10, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4 victory and advance to the title round.
Results:
Men’s singles – Quarter-finals:
Sanil Shetty (TSTTA) beat Zubin Tarapurwalla (THN) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7;
Siddhesh Pande (THN) beat Deepit Patil (THN) 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6;
Chinmay Somiya (TSTTA) beat Mandar Hardikar (TSTTA) 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-3, 9-11, 15-13;
Shivam Das (TSTTA) beat Ravindra Kotiyan (TSTTA) 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.
Semi-finals: Siddhesh Pande (THN) beat Sanil Shetty (TSTTA) 11-8, 8-11, 15-13, 12-10, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4;
Chinmay Somiya (TSTTA) beat Shivam Das (TSTTA) 7-11, 13-11, 11-7, 14-16, 14-12, 11-3.
Final: Siddhesh Pande (THN) beat Chinmay Somiya (TSTTA) 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6