Divya, Priti inspire Topspinners, King Pong to semi-final victories
Mumbai, June 11: Divya Mahajan and Priti Bhosale were both in good nick and inspired their teams, The Topspinners and King Pong respectively to relatively easy semi-final victories and a place in the final of the Capital First-Mumbai Super League (MSL) Table Tennis Championships, organized by 11Even Sports Pvt. Ltd. under the auspices of MCDTTA and MSDTTA, and played at NSCI, Worli on Sunday.
While The Topspinners overcame High Tide 5-2, King Pong were dominant in their 5-1 victory against Blazing Bashers and they will now battle it out in the summit clash to decide which team walks away with the bragging right as the champions.
Divya Mahajan gave Topspinners the perfect start defeating Senhora D’Souza 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 in the women’s singles which was the opening rubber. She later team up with Nishant Kulkarni and they got the better of the High Tide pair of Shubham Ambre and Senhora D’Souza 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 in the mixed doubles tie. The others who contributed towards Topspinners win was Dev Shroff who overcame Shivam Das 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 in the junior boys’ singles; Aryan Dave who prevailed over Yashas Todi 11-7, 4-11 11-9, 12-10 in the cadet boys’ singles and the veteran/men doubles combination of Abhay Mehta and Nishant Kulkarni who scored an easy 11-4, 13-11, 11-9 win over Ram Rokra and Shubham Ambre to complete the win.
In contrast King Pong lost just one rubber after Priti Bhosale won the first rubber defeating Shweta Parte 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 in a tense women’s singles tie. Priti’s teammate Mudit Dani suffered a defeat losing to the experienced Noel Pinto 7-11, 9-11, 7-11 in the men’s singles. King Pong won the remaining four rubbers to close out the match.
King Pong’s Raegan Albuquerque tamed Shaurya Pednekar 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 in the junior boys singles; Mudit Dani and Priti Bhosale combined perfectly to outlast Noel Pinto and Shweta Parte 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 in the mixed doubles encounter; Manasi Chiplunkar overcame Mihika Rohira 11-5, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6 in the junior girls’ singles before Havish Asrani outplayed OM Chopade 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 in the cadet boys singles match to wrap up the issue in King Pongs favour.
Results – Semi-finals: The Topspinners bt High Tide 5-2 (Divya Mahajan bt Senhora D’Souza 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 - Women’s Singles; Nishant Kulkarni lost to Shubham Ambre 6-11, 11-13, 4-11 - Men’s Singles; Dev Shroff bt Shivam Das 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 - Junior Boys Singles; Nishant Kulkarni/Divya Mahajan bt Shubham Ambre/Senhora D’Souza 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 - Men/Women Mixed Doubles; Shrushti Halengadi lost to Diya Chitale 9-11, 4-11, 9-11 - Junior Girls Singles; Aryan Dave bt Yashas Todi 11-7, 4-11 11-9, 12-10 - Cadet Boys; Abhay Mehta/Nishant Kulkarni bt Ram Rokra/Shubham Ambre 11-4, 13-11, 11-9 – Veteran Men/Men Doubles).
King Pong bt Blazing Bashers 5-1 (Priti Bhosale bt Shweta Parte 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 - Women’s Singles; Mudit Dani lost to Noel Pinto 7-11, 9-11, 7-11 – Men’s Singles; Raegan Albuquerque bt Shaurya Pednekar 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 – Junior Boys Singles; Mudit Dani/Priti Bhosale bt Noel Pinto/Shweta Parte 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 - Men/Women Mixed Doubles; Manasi Chiplunkar bt Mihika Rohira 11-5, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6 – Junior Girls Singles; Havish Asrani bt OM Chopade 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 – Cadet Boys).