UTT Senior Nationals: Tamil Nadu beats PSPB; Yashini, Kowshika stun Manika Batra

The major credit for TN’s victory should go to S. Yashini and V. Kowshika, who did the unimaginable to defeat Manika Batra, the top-ranked paddler, in the first and fourth rubbers respectively.

The Tamil Nadu team, which beat the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board in the semifinal of the UTT Senior National and inter-state table tennis championships. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Tamil Nadu women pulled off a major coup by outplaying the defending champion, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) 3-1 in the semifinals of the UTT Senior National and inter-state table tennis championships here on Wednesday.

The major credit for TN’s victory should go to S. Yashini and V. Kowshika, who did the unimaginable to defeat Manika Batra, the top-ranked paddler, in the first and fourth rubbers respectively.

A 21-year-old frail looking Kowshika played an attacking game from the start, knowing pretty well that she had nothing to lose.

Whatever Manika threw back at her, it came back. Kowshika was exemplary in the fifth and deciding game winning it 11-5.

Yashini defeated Reeth Rishya in five games to give TN a 2-0 lead.

However, PSPB pulled one back when Archana Kamath defeated B. Kavyasree.

Yashini closed out the match with a commanding performance against Manika in the fourth.

“It is a huge win. All credit to our girls, who come for our club (Jawahar TT Academy) in Chennai,” said TN women’s team coach V. S. Rajan to Sportstar.

The results (Semifinals):

Men: PSPB bt Delhi 3-0 (Manav Thakkar bt Payas Jain 11-9, 11-4, 11-5; G. Sathiyan bt Sudhanshu Grover 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-1; Harmeet Desai bt Yashansh Malik 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-3); RSPB bt Telangana 3-2 (Ronit Bhanja bt Mohammed Ali 11-5, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7; Anirban Ghosh lost to SFR Snehit 9-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 5-11; Akash Pal bt Vansh Singhal 12-10, 11-8, 11-5; Ronit lost to Snehit 9-11, 3-11, 8-11; Anirban Ghosh bt Mohammed Ali 11-5, 11-9, 11-9).

Women: RBI bt Delhi 3-1 (Sreeja Akula lost to Lakshita Narang 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 5-11, 4-11; Ayhika Mukherjee bt Vanshika Bhargava 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8; Diya Chitale bt Tamanna Saini 11-3, 11-6, 11-8; Sreeja bt Vanshika Bhargava 11-6, 11-9, 11-7); TN bt PSPB 3-1 (V. Kowshika bt Manika Batra 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5; S. Yashini bt Reeth Rishya 3-11, 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5; B. Kavyashree lost to Archana Kamath 7-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 2-11; Yashini bt Manika Batra 11-6, 11-8, 11-8).