Close matches dominate senior national table tennis championship
Several close matches marked the Senior National Table Tennis Championship in Indore, with multiple contests going down to the wire. Jami Imlinguba, Rahane Archit and others registered hard-fought wins in intense group-stage encounters across categories
Hyderabad: One of the most exciting matches unfolded in Group 5 of the Senior National Table Tennis Championship in Indore on Wednesday, as Jami Imlinguba overcame Umar Khan in a tense five-game duel, winning 3-2 (11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9), a result that reflected the razor-thin margins at this stage.
Equally impressive was Rahane Archit’s comeback win in Group 33, where he dropped the opening game before regrouping to win 3-1 (8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9). In Group 29, Abheek Kashyap displayed control in key moments to register a 3-1 victory (11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8). At the same time, Rahul Malik, in Group 40, sealed his match in straight games, though each game was closely contested, underlining the pressure of qualification matches.
A major highlight came in Group 84, where Arnav Aggarwal edged a dramatic five-game encounter 3-2 (11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9), one of several matches that went down to the wire. Similarly, in Group 106, Thakur Shreyansh relied on his composure in the decider to secure a 3-2 win after alternating game results.
The women’s singles section mirrored this intensity, with multiple second-round clashes producing tight finishes. In Group 2, Vani Sharma from Chandigarh held her nerve in a see-saw contest to win 3-2 (11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8), emerging from one of the closest matches of the round.
In Group 48, Ananya Kumari recovered after losing the first game to win 3-1 (7-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5), showing strong adaptability. Another gripping encounter came in Group 69, where Pranitha Garlapati edged past Shreya Limaye 3-2 (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7), maintaining composure in a fluctuating contest.
Group 78 also produced a nail-biter, with Krishvi Arora clinching a 3-2 victory (11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8). However, in Group 63, Chayasree Kakoti and Trisha Paul were locked in a tight battle before the eventual winner closed it out in four hard-fought games.