CHENNAI: It was a fine day for India at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in Surat. The hosts clinched gold in men’s team and silver in the women’s category. The men outplayed surprise finalists England 3-1, while the women lost 1-3 to the formidable Singapore on Friday.
For just the second time in the event’s history, Indian men emerged triumphant. The first time that happened was in 2004. Earlier in the day, they bludgeoned past Scotland in Round 3 of Stage II to book their title round berth, just as favourites Singapore were shown the door by the English.
Nonetheless, the final was a competitive affair, with Harmeet Desai faltering in the opening singles after being in an advantageous position. Luckily, Soumyajit Ghosh and G Sathiyan were up to the task. “England’s upset of Singapore was quite a surprise and it changed the nature of the final. Against the former, we would’ve been the underdogs, but versus the latter we were suddenly the favourites. It put me under some pressure and that’s why I lost the opener. The English played well and it was a good final overall, where we were the better side,” Desai told Express.
Team veteran A Amalraj was thrilled to finally win a gold medal at a Commonwealth event. He had previously won bronze and silver at the Commonwealth Games. “It completes my set technically! At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, the team won bronze and the Glasgow edition last year saw A Sharath Kamal and I winning doubles silver. That’s why, I’m a very happy camper at the moment,” the 29-year-old Chennai player said.
The women’s silver feat was impressive if one considers that the last time they made the final was in 1991. The same metal was annexed further back in 1983 and 1975. After crushing England 3-1 in the semifinals, Ankita Das and Manika Batra were left shaking their heads versus Singapore.
Mouma Das managed a solitary victory to give India a glimmer of hope, before the visitors blew out the candle.
With the team engagements over, the early rounds of the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles events began late on Friday.
India results (Team): Men: Final: bt England 3-1 (Harmeet Desai lost to David McBeath 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 9-11; Soumyajit Ghosh bt Helshan Weerasinghe 11-7, 11-4, 11-7; G Sathiyan bt Tom Jarvis 11-3, 11-6, 11-5; Ghosh bt McBeath 11-6, 11-3, 11-9, 11-8). Stage II: Round 3: bt Scotland 3-0.
Women: Final: lost to Singapore 1-3 (Ankita Das lost to Lin Ye 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 8-11; Manika Batra lost to Zhou Yihan 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11; Mouma Das bt Koh Kai Xin 11-8, 11-7, 11-5; Batra lost to Lin 8-11, 3-11, 6-11). Semifinals: bt England 3-1.