Soumyajit Ghosh, Manika Batra secure Inter-Institutional TT titles

New Delhi: National champion Soumyajit Ghosh stamped his authority, though with a bit of struggle, to beat his PSPB colleague Harmeet Desai 4-2 to win the men's singles final in the Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagraj Stadium here on Sunday.

The women's crown went to Delhi's Manika Batra, who beat Ankita Das 4-1.

The two winners collected the prize purse of Rs. 75,000 and Rs. 58,000, respectively, for their efforts.

Ghosh had to overcome a stubborn Desai in the final.

Ghosh, who lost the final to G. Sathiyan last year at the same venue, managed to put it across Desai who led 1-0. But once Ghosh made it 2-1, it seemed difficult for Desai. Yet, the Gujarat lad came back in the fourth game, giving a glimpse of returning to his semifinal form. However, Ghosh had other ideas and in the sixth game, after saving six match points, won on the seventh to sew up the title.

This is Ghosh's third Institutional title, he won his first at Kolkata in 2011 and the second at Dharwad in 2013.

It was Manika's second singles title, coming after three years.

Results: Men's Singles: Final: Soumyajit Ghosh (PSPB) bt Harmeet Desai (PSPB) 4-2 (8-11, 11-5, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6, 18-16); Semifinals: Harmeet Desai (PSPB) bt Anthony Amalraj (PSPB) 4-1 (12-10, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 12-10), Soumyajit Ghosh (PSPB) bt Sanil Shetty (PSPB) 4-0 (11-6, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9).

Women Singles: Final: Manika Batra (PSPB) bt Ankita Das (PSPB) 4-1 (11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7); Semifinals: Manika Batra (PSPB) bt Madhurika Patkar (PSPB) 4-3 (3-11, 8-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-7, 11-4, 20-18), Ankita Das (PSPB) bt K. Shamini (PPB) 4-2 (11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).

Men's Doubles: Final: Abhishek Yadav/Sudhanshu Grover (PSPB) bt Soumyajit Ghosh/Harmeet Desai 3-2 (5-11, 11-9, 12-14, 11-8, 15-13).

Women's Doubles: Final: Krittwika Sinha Roy/Shweta Parte (RBI) bt Anindita Chakraborty/Pallabi Kundu (RSPB) 3-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6).

Mixed Doubles: Final: Sanil Shetty/Manika Batra (PSPB) bt Jubin Kumar/Neha Aggarwal (PSPB) 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-8).