TEAM?HERALD
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PANJIM: Manish Yadav, Akshata Naik, Kewal Tamhankar and Rutuj Sonawane emerged champions in their respective categories at All-Goa Ramacanta Dharwatkar memorial table tennis tournament organized by Panjim Table Tennis Club in association with SAG and JCI St Inez at Indoor Stadium, Campal, here.
Manish Yadav beat Myron Pereira 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 to walk away with the men’s singles title. The under-21 girls singles finals was won by Akshata Naik, who scored a facile 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 straight sets win over Bhakti Pandit to emerge victorious. Meanwhile, Rutuj Sonawane played a brilliant match to win the under-16 boys singles title, beating Joash Mendonca 11-4, 11-7, 11-6.
The match of the day was the under-21 boys singles finals played between top seed Selvyn Godinho and second seed Kewal Tamhankar, with fortunes fluctuating every moment. Selvyn won the first two sets 12-10, 11-6. Kewal came back strongly to win the next two sets 11-6, 11-7. With the match poised at two sets a piece, the final set went the distance with Kewal edging past Selvyn, winning the set 14-12 in an epic contest to register an upset victory over the top seed.
Semi-finalist prizes were won by Sandeep D’Mello and Suneet D’Mello (men’s), Prutha Parrikar and Pranali Sonawane (under-21 girls), Gary Freitas and Rutuj Sonawane (under-21 boys), Mandar Joshi and Prathamesh Dhulapkar (under-16 boys). Subray Naik from Aldona received the most promising player of the tournament award.
The championship was held to commemorate the 81st birth anniversary of late Ramacanta Dharwatkar, one of Goa’s foremost table tennis champions of the past.
The prizes were given by Rudolf Fernandes, social worker, who was the chief guest alongwith guest of honour Mahendra Dharwatkar, in the presence of Siddharth Sakhardande, Ramesh Naik and Noel Estibeiro, chief referee.
Chetan Kavlekar, president of Panjim TT Club welcomed. Secretary Sandeep Heble proposed the vote of thanks.
