Bengaluru, December 18: Ankur Bhattacharjee, who narrowly missed the title in his previous final, made amends with a commanding 4-0 victory over Manav Thakkar to secure his second men’s singles title at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium.

Yashaswini, starting with her maiden women’s singles crown at Kangra, thrilled her hometown crowd in the season-ender by claiming her second title in a 7-game nail-biter against Swastika Ghosh, winning 4-3.

Sharath Kamal, who was the chief guest at the medal ceremony, gave away the prizes to the medal winners.

Ankur’s win against Olympian Manav Thakkar embodied skill and resolve. Despite trailing initially, Ankur’s precise backhand shots dominated the next games, culminating in a confident 4-0 victory.

The women’s final swung dramatically, with Yashaswini’s clever tactics and occasional attacks overcoming Swastika’s aggressive play. Locked at 6-6 in the decider, Yashaswini’s steady approach secured her triumph.

The men’s singles semifinals turned into a showcase of dominance as Manav Thakkar and Ankur emphatically defeated their opponents, Anthony Amalraj and Akash Pal, respectively, with identical 4-0 scorelines. Manav displayed absolute control in his match against Amalraj, who had caused a major upset earlier by eliminating top seed Harmeet Desai in the quarterfinals. After a closely contested first game, Amalraj faltered under the pressure, allowing Manav to dictate the pace and win the subsequent games easily. Particularly in the final two games, Manav’s superior strategy and execution left no room for a comeback, and he closed out the match convincingly.

However, Manav’s path to the semifinals wasn’t without drama. He faced a stern challenge from SFR Snehit in the quarterfinals, where the match swung back and forth before heading into a decisive fifth game. Despite the tension, Manav relied on his composure and tactical acumen, conceding just two points in the final game to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory.

On the other side, Ankur was in sublime form, breezing past Akash Pal, who had previously impressed with a 3-1 win over Payas Jain in the quarters. Despite Akash’s efforts to extend rallies and test Ankur, he couldn’t match the latter’s precision and consistency. Ankur executed his shots flawlessly, leaving little room for error and ensuring his place in the final with an authoritative performance.

In the women’s singles semifinals, Yashaswini displayed grit and determination against Reeth Rishya. After losing the opening game and trailing 2-1, Yashaswini regrouped to produce a spirited fightback. Her aggressive yet calculated play helped her win three consecutive games, closing out 4-2. Earlier in the quarterfinals, Yashaswini faced another stiff challenge from former national champion Madhurika Patkar. Down 1-2, she shifted gears to edge past Madhurika by taking the fourth and fifth games, bringing her ability to thrive under pressure to the fore.

Meanwhile, Swastika continued her brilliant run with a commanding 4-0 win over RBI’s Nikhat Banu. Nikhat, who had caused a stir by defeating second seed Poymantee Baishya 3-2 in the quarters, was outmatched by Swastika’s aggressive and fluid gameplay. Swastika’s powerful strokes and sharp angles kept Nikhat on the defensive, securing a dominant victory and highlighting her stellar form in the tournament.

Ankur, Taneesha win U-19 titles

In the U-19 Boys final, Ankur defeated P.B. Abhinand 4-0, highlighting his clinical precision. Taneesha’s perseverance earned her a hard-fought 4-3 win over Pritha Vartikar in the Girls’ final. Both players showed remarkable growth, with Taneesha claiming gold after narrowly missing out on medals previously.