Maria makes a memorable return, Sreehari takes men’s title

Palakkad’s K.S. Sreehari and Alappuzha’s Maria Rony who won the men’s and women’s singles title in the John Philipose State-ranking table tennis tournament in Alappuzha on Sunday. Photo: Special arrangement
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Karnataka champion Maria Rony, who was returning to Kerala State circuit after five years, made her comeback memorable by winning a double in the UTT 65th E. John Philipose memorial all-Kerala open table tennis tournament at the Alappuzha YMCA on Sunday.

The unseeded Maria won the women’s singles, defeating her close friend and top seed Seraha Jacob in a five-game thriller, and later won the doubles title too.

Palakkad’s second-seeded K.S. Sreehari bounced back after losing the first two games against Alappuzha’s top-seeded Amir Afthab to take the men’s singles title.

The Results

Men: singles, final: K.S. Sreehari (Champs TTA, Pkd) bt Amir Afthab (SDVTTA, Alp) 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Semifinals: Amir bt Renjith Benny (EXITO TTA) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5; Sreehari bt Udit Battacharjee (AYTTA) 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5. Doubles final: Amir Afthab & Bharath Krishnan bt Anokh Nair & A.S. Amal 15-13, 12-10.

Boys: Under 19 singles, final: R.S. Jayanth (Calicut TTC) bt Anokh G. Nair (TTRCC, Tvm) 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9. Semifinals: Jayanth bt Milan B. Nair (AYTTA, Alp) 10-12, 12-10, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, Anokh G. Nair (TTRCC,Tvm) bt Muhammed Nafil (Champs TTA , Pkd 11-5, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6. Doubles final: Muhammed Naffil & Gowrisankar bt Rohan Jose & Milan B. Nair 12-10, 11-9.

Under-17 singles final: A. Gourisankar (Champs, Pkd) bt Muhammed Noufil (Champs, Pkd) 11-9, 11-8, 14-12. Doubles final: Devaprayag & R.S. Jayanth bt Muhammed Naffil & GowriSankar 11-8, 9-11, 11-3.

Women: Singles, final: Maria Rony (Canara Bank) bt Seraha Jacob (SDVTTA) 4-11, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7). Semifinals: Maria bt Maria Cicily Joshy 11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, Seraha bt Reeva Anna Michael (AYTTA) 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3. Doubles final: Maria Rony & Seraha Jacob bt Maria Cicily & Reeva Anna Michael 11-9, 11-9.

Girls: Under-19 singles final: Pranati .P. Nair (Exito TTA,Tvm) bt Tisha S. Mundenkurian (CGRTTA, Tsr) 11-8, 11-3, 11-4. Semifinals: Pranati bt Tia Mundenkurian (CGRTTA, Tsr) 11-4, 11-6, 12-14, 5-11, 12-10; Tisha bt Edwina Edward (SN Trust, Klm) 11-8, 3-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-8. Doubles final: Tia Mundenkurian & Tisha Munadankurian bt Pranati Nair & Maria Cicly Joshy 11-8, 9-11, 11-8.Under-17 girls, singles final: Edwina Edward (SN Trust, Klm) bt Tia Mundankurian CGRTTA, Tsr) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9). Doubles final: Helen Nijo & Ann Seby bt Tia & Tisha Mundenkurian 12-10, 14-12.

Mixed doubles, final: Amir Afthab & Seraha Jacob bt Renjith Benny & Pranati Nair 8-11, 11-8, 11-8.