by Prashant Kapadia/NHN
Mumbai,: Maharashtra’s top player Divya Deshpande led from the front to guide Century Warriors to an emphatic victory over Blazing Bashers on Day 2 of the UTT Mumbai Super League here at the NSCI on Friday.
Divya, India’s No. 8, looked in ominous form and won both her matches to set up Warriors’s mammoth 19-8 victory over the reigning champions.
Sameer Bhate set the ball rolling for Warriors with a 2-1 (11-8, 11-4, 7-11) victory over Gurcharan Singh Gill in the veterans’ clash. Mandar Hardikar then pulled off a stunning upset victory over top Indian paddler Raegan Albuquerque 2-1 (11-9, 11-4, 9-11) in the men’s singles competition to swell his team’s lead.
Divya then pummeled Shruti Amrute 2-1 (11-4, 11-4, 10-11) in the women’s singles match. But Havish Asrani and Aditi Sinha could not continue the winning run for Warriors, and capitulated 1-2 to Aadil Anand & Tejal Kamble 1-2 (11-8, 6-11, 6-11) in the junior mixed doubles encounter.
Young Dhruv Shah shifted back the momentum in Warriors’ favour by thrashing Merwyn Patel 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-6). Divya then teamed up with Mandar Hardiker in the mixed doubles match and scored a thrilling 2-1 (11-8, 5-11, 11-9) victory over the formidable pair of Raegan Albuquerque & Shruti Amrute 2-1 to consolidate the lead.
Aditi Sinha then steamrolled Tejal Kamble 3-0 (11-2, 11-6, 11-10) in the junior girl’s competition to pocket the tie for Warriors with two matches remaining. Sameer Bhate & Dhruv Shah beat Gurcharan Singh Gill & Merwyn Patel 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-7) in the doubles but Havish Asrani lost to Aadil Anand 1-2 (0-11, 11-10, 10-11) in the last match of the tie to salvage some pride for the Bashers.
In other ties of the morning session, Kool smashers beat Supreme Fighters 16-11 while West Coast Rangers got the better of Phantom Stars 18-9.
Day 2 Results (Morning session):
Kool Smashers bt Supreme Fighters 16-11
Veterans – Kiran Salian bt. Vivek Bhargava 3-0 (11-10, 11-6, 11-6)
Men’s Single – Omkar Torgalkar lost to Siddhesh Pande 1-2 (11-8, 7-11, 8-11)
Women’s Single – Shweta Parte bt Ashlesha Trehan 3-0 (11-9,11-6, 11-7)
Mixed Doubles Jr. Boys & Jr. Girls – Jash Modi & Mukta Dalvi bt Dev Shroff & Nimisha Warang 2-1 (5-11, 11-5, 11-8)
Cadet Boys – Yuvraj Yadav bt. Dhairya Ved 2-1 (11-3, 11-7, 7-11)
Mixed Doubles Men & Women – Omkar Torgalkar & Shweta Parte lost to Siddhesh Pande & Ashlesha Trehan (11-10, 7-11, 7-11)
Jr. Girls- Mukta Dalvi bt Nimisha Warang 2-1 (11-9, 7-11, 11-7)
Doubles Veterans & Cadet Boys – Kiran Salian & Yuvraj Yadav bt Vivek Bhargava & Dhairya Ved 2-1 (11-7, 11-4, 10-11)
Jr. Boys – Jash Modi lost to Dev Shroff 0-3 (2-11, 8-11, 8-11)
Century Warriors bt Blazing Bashers 19-8
Veterans- Sameer Bhate bt. Gurcharan Singh Gill 2-1 (11-8, 11-4, 7-11)
Men’s Single- Mandar Hardikar bt. Raegan Albuquerque 2-1 (11-9, 11-4, 9-11)
Women’s Single- Divya Deshpande bt. Shruti Amrute 2-1 (11-4, 11-4, 10-11)
Mixed Doubles Jr. Boys & Jr. Girls- Havish Asrani & Aditi Sinha lost to Aadil Anand & Tejal Kamble 1-2 (11-8, 6-11, 6-11)
Cadet Boys- Dhruv Shah bt. Merwyn Patel 3-0 (11-9, 11-6, 11-6)
Mixed Doubles Men & Women- Mandar Hardier & Divya Deshpande bt. Raegan Albuquerque & Shruti Amrute 2-1 (11-8, 5-11, 11-9)
Jr. Girls- Aditi Sinha bt. Tejal Kamble 3-0 (11-2, 11-6, 11-10)
Doubles Veterans & Cadet Boys- Sameer Bhate & Dhruv Shah bt. Gurcharan Singh Gill & Merwyn Patel 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-7)
Jr. Boys- Havish Asrani lost to Aadil Anand 1-2 (0-11, 11-10, 10-11)
West Coast Rangers bt Phantom Stars 18-9
