Showing posts with label Table Tennis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Table Tennis. Show all posts

Sunday 14 March 2021

Manika, Sutirtha make winning starts at World Singles Qualification Tournament

Manika, Sutirtha make winning starts at World Singles Qualification Tournament


 Mumbai, March 14, 2021: Ace India paddlers Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee began their quest for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics berth on winning note as the duo registered comfortable straight-set victories in their respective women's singles knockout stage-I opening round matches at the World Singles Qualification Tournament in Doha on Sunday.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist Batra dominated Bulgaria’s Maria Yovkova during her 11-5, 11-7, 11-4, 11-0 win. While Mukherjee faced some resistance from her opponent Lisa Lung in the fourth game but it was too late for Italian as Mukherjee wrapped the game as well as the match 11-3, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 in her favour.  

Meanwhile, Achanta Sharath Kamal and Gnanasekaran Sathiyan suffered defeats against Italian opponents in their respective men's singles opening matches. While Sathiyan lost to Mihai Bobocica 11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, seasoned campaigner Sharath also couldn’t manage hold edge over Niagol Stoyanov as he went down fighting 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 4-11, 11-8, 10-12. Both the Indians had received bye in the opening round.

With four Indians participating in the ongoing qualification event, where a total of nine (four men and five women) places are up for grabs and scheduled from March 14-17. In the men’s category, players are split into three knockout rounds with the winner of each knockout round earning himself a place in the singles event at the Tokyo Olympics. While the losing finalist and semi-finalists from each of the three knockouts, will be drawn into another knockout stage and the winner will secure the remaining one spot.


For the women’s category, entries are split into four knockouts with the winner of each knockout securing a spot in singles at the Tokyo Olympics. However, losing finalist from each of the four knockouts will fight for the remaining single berth as they will participate in the second stage where they will be drawn into a final knockout and the winner will make it to the Olympics.

Later tonight in the women’s second round matches, Batra will take on Uzbekistan’s Rimma Gufranova while Sutirtha will face a challenge from Russian Polina Mikhailova.  
ENDS

Tuesday 8 August 2017

Coaches give UTT a thumbs up, say it’s the right way forward for Indian table tennis to improve

Coaches give UTT a thumbs up, say it’s the right way forward for Indian table tennis to improve

Mumbai, 8 August(National24news) I am really thrilled to see many of the Indian players progress so well though some of them are beating players from my team,” Peter Engel expressed jovially. The 63-year-old German, who was part of the RP-SG Mavericks team at the recently concluded CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis, was part of the Indian contingent in 2014 and as national coach, he was responsible for guiding top guns in table tennis to some memorable feats.

Coming back to India for the first-ever professional league, Engel admitted that the table tennis movement in India is headed in the right direction. “Professional leagues are a great step forward in terms of bringing the right exposure to your players. While there are many Indians who are playing regularly in the Europeans leagues, it is important to have a league of this kind in India to create the excitement around the sport and the Ultimate Table Tennis has achieved it to a large extent,” Engel said. “Though just hosting a league alone will not fetch great results internationally, at least, you are preparing your players to face-off with the best in the business and there is so much one can learn during the league of this kind,” he added.  

Elena Timina of Netherlands who coached the Shazé Challengers to the final of the first-ever professional league categorically stated that she was impressed with the organisation of the league. “The organisers have done an exceptional job in terms of carrying out the league which is on par with the ones played in Europe. They have also put in a lot of thought behind the kind of player pool which was critical. Though we did not win the final, I am happy with the performance of our team as well as to see many Indian players hold their nerves against top international stars. While I think the Indian men are already on par with international standards, the women can benefit a lot from leagues like these. They have great talent but need to pay more attention to their fitness levels,” expressed Timina who is a former international player.

Meanwhile, Indian coach Arup Basak who was with the DHFL Maharastra United expressed that this was the best platform for the Indian women to play against the best defensive paddlers in the world. “With best of the Chinese-origin players like Han Ying and Wu Yang taking part in the league, this was the best opportunity for our Indian women to learn as much because rarely do our girls ever get to train against best defensive players. Most of our Indian women are attackers and to learn to play against chopper will help them a great deal in international matches,” he said.

Sachin Shetty of RP-SG Mavericks too expressed that this platform will set the pace for the Indian players preparations for the upcoming tournaments. “Indian players will take part in the Czech Open and Bulgaria Open after the national ranking tournament in Delhi. I am sure many of them who participated at the UTT will try out different tactics they learnt during their stint at UTT during this outing and they will have enough time to adapt to these changes in their game ahead of an all-important 2018 where they play Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. A professional league like UTT was the need of the hour and I am sure this will help create a larger pool of players in the coming years,” stated Shetty, also a national coach.       


About Ultimate Table Tennis:
India’s newest franchise sports league Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) is set for its inaugural season in July 2017 to promote and enhance the sport of table tennis in the country. After the positive impact of India Open 2017, held in New Delhi in February 2017, Ultimate Table Tennis aims to take the sport of table tennis to greater heights. UTT is owned and developed by 11Even Sports Private Limited (ESPL), a Mumbai based company exclusively formed for the promotion and development of the game of Table Tennis in India. UTT will strive to be a world-class league that inspires the youth, entertains and engages fans, drives development at grassroots level and delivers value to all stakeholders.

Tuesday 1 August 2017

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to invest Rs. 20 Lakh into the sport

CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to invest Rs. 20 Lakh into the sport

Mumbai :1 August(National24news) While the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis remains India’s first professional league for the sport and one of the most ambitious projects of 11Even Sports in their vision to bring success in the 2020, 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games, the sports promotion company also engages in several development programmes that works towards bringing table tennis talent across the country to the fore. 

In this pursuit, 11Even Sports, at the successful conclusion of the inaugural edition of CEAT UTT on July 30, announced it will invest Rs. 20 Lakh basis the performance of top ten players of the League towards the development of Table Tennis in India. The initiative titled ‘Ultimate Top Ten’- top 10 players who has scored the maximum points in the League, will promote the sport through grassroot development and encourage youngsters to pick the sport. China’s Wu Yang won the ‘Ultimate One’ prize of Rs.1,50,000 for scoring 456 points and being the leader in the points table along with winning the title of Most Valuable Player- Female and a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000. Teammate, Liam Pitchford won the MVP- male and prize money of Rs. 1,00,000 as Falcons TTC outclassed Shaze Challengers 14-9 to win the inaugural edition of CEAT UTT 

“To make the sport more popular and reach out to every TT enthusiast, just a league won’t be enough. We need to build a pyramid structure to make India a force to reckon in the sport. We, therefore, decided to make this investment of Rs.20 lakh back into the sport to begin with,” said Vita Dani, owner & promoter, Ultimate Table Tennis.
Wu Yang, the winner of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis title, MVP-female as well as the Ultimate One, too was excited at a victorious conclusion of her campaign. “This was my first experience and I must say it has been very exciting and memorable for me. The League was so well organised and then winning the title as well as the Ultimate One and MVP has been an experience I’ll always remember. I have had a great time with everyone in India and look forward to coming back soon,” said the world No. 13. 

Sunday 23 July 2017

Sathiyan upsets world No. 8 as Dabang Smashers T.T.C. take control over  DHFL Maharashtra United

Sathiyan upsets world No. 8 as Dabang Smashers T.T.C. take control over DHFL Maharashtra United

New Delhi:22July(National24news)Dabang Smashers T.T.C. took a commanding 8-4 lead over DHFL Maharashtra United after four matches with some solid display in the 10th tie of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.

World No. 110 G Sathiyan put Dabang Smashers T.T.C. ahead with a stunning 2-1 (11-3, 11-9, 7-11) win over Hong Kong world No. 8 Wong Chun Ting in the men’s singles (Foreign v Indian), the day’s opening match.

Sathiyan ran away with the opening game and then rallied back to clinch the second. Wong Chun Ting, however, came back strongly to win the third and bag a point for his team.

North Korea world No 19 Kim Song I extended Dabang Smashers TTC’s lead to 4-2 with a 2-1 (11-2, 11-5, 9-11) victory over Pooja Koparkar in the women’s singles (Foreign v Indian).

In-form Kim Song I dominated the Indian world No 279 in the first two games but the Maharashtra lass rallied to win the third game to hand her side a second point.

Next up was mixed doubles (Foreign/Indian pair), and Dabang Smashers T.T.C.’s Anthony Amalraj/ Tetyana Bilenko registered a 2-1 (11-8, 11-4, 4-11) win over Harmeet Desai/ Liu Jia to further their team’s lead to 6-3.

China-born Ukraine international Kou Lei, ranked No. 28 in the world, pulled off a thrilling 2-1 (11-10, 11-9, 5-11) win over Wong Chun Ting in the men’s singles to give Dabang Smashers T.T.C. a commanding 8-4 lead over DHFL Maharashtra United after four matches.


At the end of four matches - DHFL Maharashtra United 4-8 Dabang Smashers T.T.C.

MS – Wong Chun Ting lost to G Sathiyan 1-2 (3-11, 9-11, 11-7)

WS – Pooja Sahasrabudhe lost to Kim Song I 1-2 (2-11, 5-11, 11-9)

MD – Harmeet Desai/ Liu Jia lost to Anthony Amalraj/ Tetyana Bilenko 1-2 (8-11, 4-11, 11-4)

MS – Wong Chun Ting lost to Kou Lei 1-2 (10-11, 11-9, 5-11)

Saturday 22 July 2017

 Shazé Challengers and Falcons level at 6 after four matches

Shazé Challengers and Falcons level at 6 after four matches

New Delhi:22 July(National24news)Shazé Challengers and Falcons TTC were level at 6-all after four matches on day 9 of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

World No. 42 Li Ping put Shazé Challengers ahead with a 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5) win over Maharashtra southpaw Sanil Shetty (Falcons TTC) in the men’s singles (Foreign v Indian), the day’s opening match.

China-born Qatar international Li Ping was in control as he quelled a late challenge from Shetty, ranked 201 in the world, in the opening two games and wrapped up the final game with ease to hand his side full three points.

However, in-form Chinese world No. 13 Wu Yang levelled points for table-toppers Falcons TTC as she brushed aside Mouma Das 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-7) in the women’s singles (Foreign v Indian).
Soumyajit Ghosh/ Petrissa Solja (Germany) got the better of Sanil Shetty/ Lee Ho Ching (HK) (Falcons TTC) 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-10) in the mixed doubles (Indian/ Foreign pair) to put Shazé Challengers back in the lead at 6-3.

Li Ping (Shazé Challengers) retired hurt in the second game against Par Gerell that saw Falcons TTC level it at 6-6 after four games. Five more rounds remain in the ongoing tie.

On Saturday, DHFL Maharashtra United will lock horns with Dabang Smashers TTC in a fourth round tie.

At the end of four matches: Shazé Challengers 6 – 6 Falcons TTC
MS – Li Ping beat Sanil Shetty 3-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-5)
WS – Mouma Das lost to Wu Yang 0-3 (4-11, 2-11, 7-11)
MD – Petrissa Solja/ Soumyajit Ghosh beat Sanil Shetty/ Lee Ho Ching 3-0 (11-5, 11-7, 11-10)
MS – Li Ping lost to Par Gerell 0-3 (retired hurt) 

Monday 17 July 2017

Oilmax-Stag Yoddhas lead Shazé Challengers 7-5 in gripping tie

Oilmax-Stag Yoddhas lead Shazé Challengers 7-5 in gripping tie

Chennai:17 July(National24news)Oilmax Stag Yoddhas led Shazé Challengers 7-5 after four gripping matches in their ongoing tie in the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at a packed Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Soumyajit Ghosh put Shazé Challengers ahead with a stunning 2-1 victory over Nigerian world No 29 Aruna Quadri of Oilmax Stag Yoddhas in the men’s singles (Indian v Foreign), the opening match of the day.

World no. 85 Ghosh cruised to a 11-2 win in the opening game before Quadri staged a strong comeback to win the second at 11-9.

The Nigerian jumped to a 7-2 lead in the third before the Indian rallied brilliantly to turn the contest on its head, taking the lead at 8-7 before winning the game at 11-8.
China-born German world No. 9 Han Ying extended Shazé Challengers’ lead to 4-2 with a 2-1 win over Manika Batra of Oilmax Stag Yoddhas in the women’s singles (Foreign v Indian).

Indian world No. 104 Manika pulled off a surprise win in the opening game 11-8, before experienced Ying regained control take the next at 11-5 and was pushed to the limit before holding on to win the third game on the golden point (11-10).

In a turn in fortune, Oilmax Stag Yoddhas’ mixed doubles (Indian/Foreign) pair of Abhishek Yadav / Doo Hoi Kem (HK) routed Shazé Challengers’ pair of Soumyajit / Petrissa Solja (Germany) 3-0 (11-10. 11-9, 11-6) to help their side edge ahead on points at 5-4.

Oilmax Stag Yoddhas’ Quadri rallied from a game down to win his second match of the day, the men’s singles (foreign player category), against Croatia’s Andrej Gacina 2-1 (10-11, 11-6, 11-3) to put Oilmax Stag Yoddhas ahead 7-5 after four matches. Five more matches remain in the ongoing tie.

Meanwhile, Oilmax Stag Yoddhas’ top player Panagiotis Gionis (Greece, world No 19) has been ruled out of the remainder of the league due to an inflammation in heel and has been replaced by Croatia’s Tomislav Pucar.

On Tuesday, DHFL Maharashtra United will take on RP-SG Mavericks in what is the second outing for both.


Scoreline: Oilmax Stag Yoddhas 7-5 Shazé Challengers (at the end of four matches)

MS – Aruna Quadri vs Soumyajit Ghosh 1-2 (2-11, 11-9. 8-11)
WS – Manika Batra vs Han Ying 1-2 (11-8, 5-11, 10-11)
MD – Abhishek Yadav/ Doo Hoi Kem vs Soumyajit Ghosh/ Petrissa Solja 3-0 (11-10, 11-9, 11-6
MS – Aruna Quadri vs Andrej Gacina 2-1 (10-11, 11-6, 11-3)

Saturday 15 July 2017

Upbeat Falcons TTC confident taking on Dabang Smashers T.T.C: Shetty

Upbeat Falcons TTC confident taking on Dabang Smashers T.T.C: Shetty

Chennai:15July(National24news) An upbeat Falcons TTC will take on confident Dabang Smashers T.T.C on Day 4 of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to be played in Nehru Indoor Stadium here in Chennai on Sunday.

Riding on a pumped up performance from India's Sanil Shetty and China’s Wu Yang, Falcons TTC made a comeback win after trailing 5-7 half way through in their first tie against RP-SG Mavericks. “Wu Yang’s 3-0 win over Sabine in the fifth game was a great confidence booster for the entire team. No doubt it was inspirational as at this point we took lead in the tie,” explained Shetty.

The next match Shetty created an upset beating world No. 31 Tiago Apolonia which gave Falcons a 2-point cushion over RP-SG Mavericks. “Wu kept a clean slate in her next game (against Archana Kamath) which brought us closer to winning the tie. The team was pumped after that and the eventual result was a satisfying 15-12 win over Mavericks,” said Shetty. The 27-year old knows it’s a long way to go in the league with four more games to play, the next coming up against Dabang Smashers T.T.C on Sunday.

On his team's upcoming fixture Shetty feels it would be a great contest as their opponents pulled back from being down by 6-12 to ending the contest at 12-15 against Shazé Challengers on Friday night. “Kim Song I and Marcos (Freitas) did incredible to bring them back in the contest. The last tie between Tetyana and Petrissa was anyone’s game. Points don’t tell the real story about how well Dabang played actually,” Shetty explained.

The Mumbai lad still feels his team Falcons TTC is equipped to match Dabang Smashers T.T.C in all departments and looks forward to playing them.

The league will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2, Hotstar & JioTV. 

Wednesday 12 July 2017

Falcons TTC to take on RP-SG Mavericks in the opening match of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis

Falcons TTC to take on RP-SG Mavericks in the opening match of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis

Chennai:13 July(National24news)The anticipation to witness India’s first ever professional table tennis league ends as the inaugural edition of CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis is ready to roll on Thursday, July 13, at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. The opening day will be graced by the Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, India’s chess maestro, who will be present to watch the Falcons TTC lock horns with RP-SG Mavericks in what promises to be a nail-biting face-off. 

While the Falcons TTC boasts of World No.13 among women Wu Yang in their line-up apart from Indian trail blazers in Sanil Shetty, Arjun Ghosh, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Priyadarshini Das and foreign recruits Lee Ho Ching, Par Gerell and Liam Pitchford, team RP-SG Mavericks will be heavily backed by Chennai audience as it features home-grown hero Sharath Kamal Achanta. The team under the tutelage of Sachin Shetty and German Peter Engel features Birdie Boro, Archana Kamath and Amrutha Pushpak as part of Indian contingent while  Apolonia Tiago, Stefan Fegerl, Sabine Winter and Sofia Polconova form their foreign line-up. 

Both teams are equally poised in terms of experience and youth but what will set them apart is their planning and strategizing to use different combinations that will prove vital in determining the winner of the inaugural match. “The team has gelled well over the past few days and we are eager to start the league. Personally, I am very excited as I have not played in front of my home crowd for more than a decade. The format is quite fast-paced and interesting and we obviously look forward to start on a winning note,” expressed Sharath Kamal. 
The format is short and exciting where each team will play nine matches in a Tie with each match comprising 3 Games. Consequently, each Tie shall comprise 27 Games. Each game shall have players competing to score 11 points first, meaning if scores are level at 10-all then the 11th point will be a Golden Point and shall decide the winner. Whichever individual/pair scores 11 points and is termed as the winner of each Game shall receive one point towards the Team’s total for each such game that is won. The winning team in a Tie shall be decided by the number of total games won i.e. total points won in the relevant Tie. The Team that wins 14 or more Games out of the 27 Games shall be the Winner of that respective Tie.

“The lead up to the Ultimate Table Tennis has been a very enriching experience as most of us have got to interact with our idols in the sport and even play a couple of practice matches here in Chennai. We are all set for the first match and I can assure you it will be top class entertainment and action,” stated Sanil Shetty of Falcons TTC. 

UTT is India’s newest franchise-based professional sports league which will see 24 foreign players and 24 Indian players (both men and women) playing for six different franchises.  While Chennai will host the first leg of India's first ever professional Table Tennis League at Nehru Indoor Stadium from July 13-20, the second leg will be played in Delhi at Thyagraj Sports Complex between July 21-25. The last and the final leg of the league will be held in Mumbai starting July 26 until 30 with the Semi Finals and Final of the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis to be played in Mumbai city at the NSCI. 

The matches will be shown live from 7:30 PM on Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2 and will be live streamed on Hotstar and JioTV.

Saturday 8 July 2017

Sachin Shetty and Peter Engel’s experience with Indian paddlers can prove vital for RP-SG Mavericks: Sharath Kamal

Sachin Shetty and Peter Engel’s experience with Indian paddlers can prove vital for RP-SG Mavericks: Sharath Kamal

Mumbai, 8 July (National24news)With just five days to go for the inaugural edition of the CEAT UTT, India’s first-ever professional table tennis league, preparations are in full swing in the RP-SG Mavericks camp as they take on Falcons TTC in the first match of the League on July 13 in Chennai. 

Coached by Sachin Shetty and the vastly experienced Peter Engel, the team features prominent faces in Sharath Kamal Achanta who is undoubtedly a fan-favourite in the league. With Gold medals to his credit at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Indian ace can get the crowd going. Giving him company will be 19-year-old Birdie Boro. The man who hails from Guwahati has idolised Sharath Kamal growing up, and at CEAT UTT, he has the chance to partner him. Boro’s playing style is in line with Kamal’s as they both favour a more offensive approach to the game. 

In the women’s category, the Mavericks pin their hopes on the gifted Archana Kamath. The 18-year-old is fast gaining recognition for her fierce style. Kamath has achieved plenty with Gold in the 2015 French Open being her biggest achievement yet. Partnering her will be another young player in Amruthapushpak Shekhar. The Chennai-born right hander has garnered a lot of buzz after her performances in the National Ranking Tournament. “There is a lot of the excitement in our camp. It is the first-time Indian players are involved in a League of this nature and the format too is very interesting. We want to make a big impression in the first season of the CEAT UTT and if we are able to begin the League with a win then we can carry on the momentum,” expressed Sachin Shetty, who was the Indian junior team coach at the India Open 2013 where he led the side to 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal. 

The foreign players include Apolonia Tiago and Stefan Fegerl. Both are fans of tennis great Roger Federer and also lean towards a more attacking style of play. The Austrian Fegerl was a part of the 2015 European Championship and also, admirably, was a runner-up in the 2015 Polish Open. While Tiago will be one to keep a close eye on as he likes to take the game to his opponent. 

In the foreign women category, German Sabine Winter brings with her a plethora of experience. Winter won the European Championship Doubles in 2013 and 2016, while securing third position in the European Top 16 Cup and in the World Championships team event. While Winter is right-handed, her partner Sofia Polcanova is left-handed. The 22-year-old Austrian has represented her country in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. “I feel our squad has been carefully picked with players who can provide great combinations and that will prove vital in this format. With coaches who are not new to the Indian players as Peter Engel was the Indian national team coach from 2013 to 2014 while Sachin is known to all us, their experience with Indian paddlers could prove to be vital in our team’s chances. I think the CEAT UTT is a great initiative to grab the Indian audience’s attention towards table tennis and witness how exciting matches can be,” stated Sharath Kamal. 


Tuesday 4 July 2017

Sanil and Dabang Smashers T.T.C.’s  Sathiyan upsets top seeds at ITTF World Tour Platinum Australia Open

Sanil and Dabang Smashers T.T.C.’s Sathiyan upsets top seeds at ITTF World Tour Platinum Australia Open

Australia:4 July(National24news) In run up to the much anticipated Ultimate Table Tennis, Indian stars Sanil Shetty who will represent Falcons T.T.C and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran who was drafted by Dabang Smashers T.T.C created an upset on Tuesday toppling their Korean and Chinese Taipei counterparts respectively in the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum Australia Open at Gold Coast, Australia. 

Sanil Shetty beat Korea’s Jang Woojin, the no.13 seed, (11-9, 3-11, 12-10, 11-3, 6-11, 11-8) and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An, the no.14 seed (11-6, 4-11, 1-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9). In a space of two days Falcons T.T.C.'s Sanil Shetty has beaten players who last year had won ITTF World Tour Men’s Singles titles.

Their victory against their higher ranked counterparts should definitely be a morale booster for both Falcons T.T.C and Dabang Smashers T.T.C. leading up to the league that starts from July 13, 2017 in Chennai. 

Friday 30 June 2017

मानव रचना स्कूल मैं इंटर फैकल्टी बैडमिंटन-टेबलटेनिस टूर्नामेंट की शुरूआत

मानव रचना स्कूल मैं इंटर फैकल्टी बैडमिंटन-टेबलटेनिस टूर्नामेंट की शुरूआत

फरीदाबाद: 30 जून(National24news)  सेक्टर-14 एमआर स्पोर्ट्स अकादमी में गुरुवार से  7वें इंटर फैकल्टी व स्टॉफ बैडमिंटन-टेबलटेनिस टूर्नामेंट की शुरूआत हो गई। इस मौके पर एमआरआईयू के वाईस प्रेजीडेंट डॉ. अमित भल्ला बतौर मुख्यातििथ उपस्थित हुए।

पहले दिन के मुकाबलों में बैडमिंटन वूमेन सिंगल्स में एमआर-14 की मेधा मित्तल ने पूजा सचदेवा को, ममता मित्रा ने गीतांजली को और डबल्स में एश्वर्य-प्रिया ने नीतू-प्रवीन को हराकर दूसरे दौर में जगह बनाई। मैन्स सिंगल्स में एमआरआईएस के संदीप ने अनिल को और विक्की कुमार ने विश्वा को हराकर दूसरे दौर में कदम रखा। टेबलटेनिस में वूमेन सिंगल्स में प्रतीमा ने रश्मी को, दीपिका ने सोनल को, डिंपल ने वसुधा को हराया। जबकि मैन्स सिंगल्स में चंदन ने मनीष को, नायक ने धीरज को और संजय ने हेमंत को हराकर दूसरे दौर में जगह बनाई। स्पोर्ट्स कैटेगरी टेबलटेनिस में दीपक सिंह ने सूरज को, मनीष यादव ने दीपक कुमार को, मुकेश उन्याल ने धमेंद्र को और वूमेन कैटेगरी में अलताना ने अंजना को, मीतू सिंह ने आरती को, अभिलाषा सिंह ने सरोज शर्मा को, इंदू पुनिया ने सुमन सिहाग को हराकर अगले दौर में दकम रखा। इस मौके पर ट्रस्टी एमएम कथूरिया, वीके आनंद, डायरेक्टर स्पोर्ट्स सरकार तलवार और प्रिंसीपल संयोगिता शर्मा मौजूद थे।

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Ultimate Table Tennis will help the sport benefit in India: Wong Chun Ting

Ultimate Table Tennis will help the sport benefit in India: Wong Chun Ting

 Mumbai: 14 June (National24news) For Wong Chun Ting, World No.7 and a Bronze Medalist at the recently concluded World Championship in Dusseldorf, visiting India for the very first time stokes a whole lot of excitement. “I am very excited about my first trip to India for the Ultimate Table Tennis. I expect there will be top-class competitions with many top players from other countries,” stated Wong Chun Ting, who lives in Hong Kong. He is the highest ranked player at the inaugural Ultimate Table Tennis scheduled to begin on July 13 in Chennai. 

Wong Chun Ting took to competitive training in table tennis only at the age of 12. Until then, playing Table Tennis was a fun activity he indulged with his elder brother and father. “Joining the Hang Seng Table Tennis Academy was a critical point of my career in table tennis. Even though it was tough as I had to travel a long way to the training centre after school, I was really looking forward to each session of training,” said the paddler who took up TT as a full-time career after completing his secondary school at the age of 18. 

While he completed ninth in the men's singles at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, the Hong Kong player has had a memorable start in 2017. He won the mixed doubles Bronze along with his compatriot Doo Hoi Kem at the World Championship which he calls, 'a highlight of his career'. 
“This experience has an amply impact to my career in table tennis. This year my target is to get a place at the World Tour Grand Finals in December. I want to advance my world ranking further,” said an optimistic Wong Chun Ting. 

Speaking about the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis where he will turn up for the Maharashtra United, Wong Chun Ting said, “The Professional league will attract and bring world class players to India. This will benefit the sport of table tennis in India. I believe it will bring advanced training methods and other technical aspects too which will benefit Indian players in the long run.” 
Wong Chun Ting, a stylish paddler known for his penhold grip, has earlier been part of Professional Leagues in China and Poland. He will team up with Harmeet Desai, Ronit Bhanja, Joao Monteiro, Krittwika Sinha Roy, Pooja Sahasrabudhe, Liu Jia and Fu Yu in the Maharashtra United squad.