Playing with pimpled out surfaces on both sides of his bat Abhay Mehta was in great form yesterday evening at University Stadium, Mumbai. The occasion was PRO-TT 4 Star All Mumbai District Table Tennis Tournament – 2018. Abhay was playing in 40+ Veterans section, which had attracted 88 entries of players all over Mumbai.
Abhay Mehta
Since it was the day with packed schedule, the quarter final, semi final and final matches in this section were kept one after the other late evening. Moreover the players playing in this event were supposed to leave for Pune for their First State Ranking Veterans Tournament of this season. After winning his first four rounds, 7th seeded Abhay first took on 2nd seeded Rajesh Singh in quarter finals and beat him 3-1. Then in semis he scored 3-1 victory over 5th seeded Kiran Salian and finally won the title defeating top seeded Suhas Rane 3-2 in an exciting final.
Abhay ( Centre) with his Maharashtra Veterans team members Rajesh Singh, Kiran salian, Sameer Bhate & Gill Gurcharan Singh
This is Abhay’s second big title, as earlier in the year 2015 he had won it at a district ranking tournament at NSCI, Mumbai. In the first 4 Star All Mumbai District Table Tennis Tournament held last month at MCF Club Borivali, Abhay had scored over Prakash kelkar in five game battle in the pre quarter finals , when the latter conceded the match in the decider. He later lost in quarter finals, but in this tournament it seemed he had come all prepared to win the title.
Abhay( Right) with his brother Sanjay also an excellent TT player.
Abhay’s social networking page is flooded with hundreds of messages from his friends and well wishers since early morning congratulating him. Indeed, this was a big achievement. Abhay’s coach at the initial stage Jagannath Mohite has described Abhay’s victory as the best victory so far. “Defeating three best players in Veterans and that too one after the other is certainly a big achievement,” he said. Current 65+ National Veterans’ Champion and Jt. Hon. Secretary Mumbai Suburban District TT Association Mr. Yogesh Desai has reacted, “Congratulations Abhay for this tremendous title. You proved that Long pimpled rubber can still win titles, at a time 40+ size ABS heavier Plastic balls are in use. You know how to use this rubber effectively. Keep it up.” Actually, Abhay took up table tennis seriously only 12 years ago, after retiring from cricket. Therefore, this victory is a big victory for him, reacted many of his close friends from Gymkhana.
Abhay practices for minimum two hours daily at the PJ Hindu Gymkhana. With variety of players to play, he has mastered the skill of using his long pimpled rubber very well. Abhay also plays sometimes at Garware Club. Besides being a committed hard working TT player, he is an excellent human being with helping nature. It was his idea to sponsor young Om Lotlikar his practice partner to Indonesia for the selection tournament of Asian Paralympics. With the support of his four other practice partners he arranged for his entire tour expenses, which helped the youngster to find his place in Indian team for Paralympics.
Abhay has now proceeded with his kit to Pune to participate in the PYC Gymkhana first Maharashtra State Veterans Ranking Tournament of this year scheduled to begin from Saturday morning @ 9.30 am with team championship event, which has attracted 68 entries from all over Maharashtra. The individual events will be played in the evening and on Sunday . In this tournament Abhay will lead PJ Hindu Gymkhana ‘A’ team along with his brother Sanjay Mehta, Premjit Rananavare & Ulhas Shirke. At National veterans Championship held early this year, Abhay had represented Maharashtra team in 40+ Men’s event. Magzmumbai wishes him a grand success this season.