Maharashtra paddlers dominated the veteran categories at the end of the first leg on the fifth day of the 32nd National Masters Table Tennis Championships at the Balewadi Indoor Stadium in Pune on Tuesday.
In the men’s 60+ singles final, Laxmanrao Thakre outclassed state-mate Vivek Alwani in straight games to clinch the title. Thakre later doubled his success, partnering Shailesh Gosain of Gujarat to win the men’s 60+ doubles crown with a hard-fought victory over Pradeesh Gupta and Sanjay Sripad Jain.
Maharashtra’s Jayant bags 65+ singles title
The men’s 65+ singles title went to Jayant Kulkarni, who edged past Prakash Kelkar in a closely contested five-game final. However, Kelkar bounced back to secure the 65+ doubles title alongside Anil Rasam, overcoming Delhi’s Raavi Vashist and Anil Kumar Goel.
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In other doubles events, Suhas Dandekar and Shivanand Kundaje triumphed in the men’s 70+ category, while Chandigarh’s Patanjali and Balbir Singh Virdi claimed the 75+ crown.
WB’s Mantu and Vivek bag mixed doubles title
West Bengal’s Mantu Murmu and Vivek Arora lifted the mixed doubles 60+ title, defeating Delhi’s Neeru Mehta and Anuj Sharma in straight games. Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s Rajeshwari Mhetre and Umesh Kumbhojkar secured the mixed doubles 65+ title with a 3-1 win over Indu Sharma and Anil Kumar Goel.
With Tuesday’s events, the first leg of the championships concluded. After a rest day on Wednesday, action will resume with team, singles and doubles events in the 40+, 45+, 50+ and 55+ categories.
Results: Men’s singles 60+ (final): Laxmanraoa Thakre (Mah) beat Vivek Alwani (Mah) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6. Semifinals: Vivek beat Sanjay Sripad Jain (Mah) 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 11-4; Laxmanrao beat Purushottam Markad (Mah) 12-14, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8.
Men’s singles 65+ (final): Jayant Kulkarni (Mah) beat Prakash Kelkar (Mah) 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-8. Semifinals: Jayant beat Harish Salvi (Mah) 11-2, 11-9, 11-4; Prakash beat Anil Kumar Goel (Del) 14-12, 11-5, 11-5.
Men’s doubles 60+ (final): Laxmanrao Thakre/Shailesh Gosain (Guj) beat Pradeesh Gupta/Sanjay Sripat Jain (Mah) 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8. Semifinals: Laxmanrao/Shailesh beat Jayaram Kokku/M.Abbas (AP) 3-11, 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8; Pradeep/Sanjay beat Vivek Arora/Subhamoy Chatterjee (WB) 6-11, 14-12, 4-11, 11-2, 12-10.
Men’s doubles 65+ (final): Prakash Kelkar/Anil Rasam (Mah) beat Raavi Vashist/Anir Kumar Goel (Del) 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7. Semifinals: Anil/Prakash beat Pranaya Majumdar/Ravi Shanker Kaza (CG) 12-10, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9; Ravi/Anil beat Prakash/Rajesh 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.
Men’s doubles 70+ (final): Suhas Dandekar/Shivanand Kundaje (Mah) beat Yogesh Desai/Percy Mehta (Mah) 14-12, 11-7, 3-11, 9-11, 11-6. Semifinals: Suhas/Shivanand beat Balkrishna Katdare/Ashok Kudwa (Mah) 11-5, 11-4, 11-4; Yogesh/Percy beat R.N. Masaldan (Del) 11-2, 11-4, 11-7.
Men’s doubles 75+ (final): Patanjli/Balbir Singh Virdi (Chd) beat Mukund Dev Agarwal/Rampal Kumawat (Raj) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9. Semifinals: Mukund/Rampal beat Udayashankar Rao/G.Y. Prabhakar (Mar) 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10; Balbir/Patanjli beat P.V. Ramakrishnan/P. Irudhayaraj (TN) 8-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9.
Mixed doubles 60+ (final): Mantu Murmu/Vivek Arora (WB) beat Neeru Mehta/Anuj Sharma (Del) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8.
Mixed doubles 65+ (final): Rajeshwari Mhetre/Umesh Kumbhojkar (Mah) beat Indu Sharma/Anil Kumar Goel (Del) 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7.
