TN teenager bags victory at Table Tennis tournament

M Hansini beat Haryana's Suhana Saini at the UTT 86th Junior and Youth national table tennis championships at Vadodara
M Hansini
M Hansini
Updated on
3 min read

The final of the UTT 86th Junior and Youth national table tennis championships at Vadodara was electrifying, to say the least. On one end of the table was Tamil Nadu’s M Hansini and on the other was  Haryana’s Suhana Saini. The SAMA Indoor Complex was packed. Both the players leveraged their strong backhands, punctuated by well-placed forehands and thrilling rallies, keeping the audience on edge.Suhana opened in commanding fashion, storming to an 11-1 win and lead in the first game. However, Hansini’s composed recovery levelled the match in the second. The third game was a nail-biter, with Hansini narrowly edging out Suhana. Hansini then took the fourth game, battling through Suhana’s late surge. While Suhana bounced back in the fifth to force a deuce and extend the match, Hansini refocused in the sixth game, holding off another spirited comeback. In the end, Hansini claimed her maiden U-19 girls’ singles title. She earned a hard-fought 4-2 victory.

Hansini, who won the National Cadet crown a few years back, missed out on winning many titles narrowly. But this time around she upped the quality of her game when it mattered the most and pocketed the U-19 crown. “It is very special and a moment to cherish. This win is very close to my heart because it has been a long time since I won a major title in India and actually would dedicate it to Kalvath anna (coach). In all these years, I have played and lost so many matches despite having comfortable lead positions. He (Kalvath) went an extra mile when I was under such situations when in lead or down and made me give my best in crucial matches,” said an elated Hansini to CE.

A lot of effort went behind the preparation for the nationals. “We have been working in earnest for the last month with the focus on improvement (game) and execution (of plans). We have been working 4-5 hours a day on the table practice. Apart from that, my coach will do a match analysis and will discuss it in detail with me. I had fitness sessions with Aryan sir and also yoga sessions with Ruby ma’am whenever I got time as I have to prepare for my board (exams) also,” added the youngster.

Hansini was the picture of calm at the finals. She took it one match at a time and did not have any built-up pressure. She aimed to give the best shot.

Now, she wants to slowly improve her game and try to make a mark in the women’s segment. “Kalvath anna understands my game, and temperament and boosts my confidence in difficult situations. Abhishek anna coordinates with Kalvath anna and trains me with special skill sets. Infinity Table Tennis Centre has been supporting me as well. I want to get better with the game every day so that I can face all types of players and challenges in the women’s category,” shared the 15-year-old, a class 10 student of PS Senior Secondary School. “I am deeply indebted to my school. They are encouraging me so much that I can focus on my game and at the same time manage my academics. My school principal, class, and subject teachers are always ready to help me all the time with my studies. The school management has also given me a scholarship,” she added.

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