The fourth day of the 32ndMasters National Table Tennis Championships at the Balewadi Indoor Stadium served up a compelling mix of grit, experience, and high-quality rallies, as three finals reached their crescendo and crowned deserving champions.
The spotlight shone brightest on the Men’s 70 plus Singles final, where Maharashtra’s Shivanand Kundajee underlined his class with a controlled yet assertive 3-1 victory over Madhya Pradesh’s Pramod Soni. Kundajee edged a tight opening game 11-09 and tightened his grip with an 11-05 second game. Though Soni showed resilience to pull one back (11-07), Kundajee’s composure in the fourth sealed the contest 11-06,capping off a dominant campaign.
Earlier, Kundajee had stormed past Percy Mehta in straight games in the semifinals, while Soni battled through a gritty four-game win over Yogesh Desai.
If the men’s singles final was about control, the Women’s Doubles 60 plus final was pure drama. The Madhya Pradesh duo of Rubi Kaur and Rashmi Soni held their nerve in a see-sawfive-game thriller against compatriots Sandhya Patwa and Sandhya Somani. Trading blows throughout, the match swung both ways before Kaur and Soni surged ahead in the decider to clinch it 11-6, sealing a memorable 3-2 triumph.
In contrast, the Women’s Doubles 65 plus and 75 plus final was a showcase of dominance. Maharashtra’s Rajeshwari Mhetre and Mythili Sodhi produced a commanding straight-games victory over Delhi’s Indu Sharma and Sunita Mudgil. With sharp coordination and relentless pressure, the pair wrapped up the title 11-6, 11-2, 11-9, rarely allowing their opponents any foothold in the match.
With three titles decided, the championships now build toward an even busier schedule in the senior age groups. The remaining finals are slated for tomorrow, after which players will enjoy a well-earned rest and depart for their destinations, hoping for better performance next year. Action will then resume in full swing from April 30 toMay four, featuring team events along with singles and doubles competitions in age categories 40+, 45+, 50+, and 55+, promising an exciting climax to the tournament.
THE RESULTS:
Men’s 70+ Singles: Final:Shivanand Kundajee (Mah) bt Pramod Soni (MP) 11-9, 11-5, 7-11, 11-6.
Semifinals: Pramod btYogesh Desai (Mah) 13-11, 2-11, 11-8, 11-9; Shivanand bt Percy Mehta (Mah)11-6, 11-4, 11-7.
Women’s Doubles 60+:Final: Rubi Kaur/Rashmi Soni (MP) bt Sandhya Patwa/ Sandhya Somani (MP) 11-9,7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6.
Women’s Doubles 65+ &75+: Final: Rajeshwari Mhetre/Mythili Sodhi (Mah) bt Indu Sharma/Sunita Mudgil(Del) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9.
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