Indian Sports Wrap, March 21: Manav, Yashaswini win maiden National TT crowns
TABLE TENNIS
National Table Tennis Champiuonships: Manav, Yashaswini bag maiden crowns
Manav Thakkar and Yashaswini Ghorpade, both representing the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), clinched their maiden men’s and women’s singles titles at the 87th Senior National Table Tennis Championship in Indore on Saturday.
Even before the finals began at the Abhay Prashal Indoor Stadium, it was clear that new national champions would be crowned in both categories. Top seed Manav lived up to expectations, halting 15th seed Jeet Chandra’s impressive run in the men’s singles final. Moments earlier, eighth seed Yashaswini edged past third seed Syndrela Das in a gripping all-PSPB women’s final that went the distance.
Manav’s consistency proved too strong for Jeet in a contest between two bespectacled paddlers. Though Jeet produced some audacious winners in the third game, Manav maintained control throughout the 35-minute encounter to cross the line without any fuss. After losing his only previous National Championship final seven years ago, Manav, the World No. 33, gave a high-five to his sparring partner Siddhesh Pande for ending his long wait.
The women’s final, in contrast, was a fluctuating contest. Yashaswini relied on her control, particularly with her long-pimpled backhand, while 16-year-old Syndrela showcased her attacking prowess with powerful backhand winners, repeatedly staging comebacks.
At 8-8 in the deciding seventh game, Yashaswini pivoted to her forehand to produce a crucial winner — a moment that proved decisive. The Bengaluru paddler went on to seal a gruelling 75-minute match and celebrated in style with a Ben Shelton-inspired gesture for the second consecutive day.
Earlier, Syndrela had upset defending champion Diya Chitale in a tense semifinal, while Yashaswini progressed comfortably past Suhana Saini.
Along with the trophies and medals, both Manav and Yashaswini received prize money of ₹3.52 lakh each, while runners-up Jeet and Syndrela earned ₹1.76 lakh apiece.
Results
Men’s singles
Final: Manav Thakkar (PSPB) bt Jeet Chandra (RSPB) 11-2, 11-4, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3. Semifinals: Manav bt Harmeet Desai (PSPB) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6; Jeet bt Ronit Bhanja (RSPB) 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7.
Women’s singles
Final: Yashaswini Ghoropde (PSPB) bt Syndrela Das (PSPB) 11-6, 12-14, 11-5, 9-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-8. Semifinals: Yashaswini bt Suhana Saini (Har) 6-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8, 11-3; Syndrela bt Diya Chitale (RBI) 7-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, 3-11, 3-11, 13-11.
Mixed doubles
Final: Ankur Bhattacharjee (WB) & Suhana Saini (Har) bt Aniket Bose & Sampriti Roy (WB) 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 13-15, 12-10. Semifinals: Aniket & Sampriti bt Ronit Bhanja & Kaushani Nath (RSPB) 7-11, 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7; Ankur & Suhana bt Akash Pal & Poymantee Baisya (RSPB) 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9.
-Amol Karhadkar
GOLF
Diksha and Hitaashee in top 10 at Australian WPGA Championship
Indian golfer Hitaashee Bakshi and Diksha Dagar are both placed T-6 after the third round of the Australian WPGA Championship with a total score of 9-under par here.
Hitaashe carded a round of 4-under 67 to gain two positions, while Diksha put together a round of 6-under 65 on the third day to move up from T-16 to T-6.
Hitashee had two birdies and three bogeys in the first eight holes but rallied back and made consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th holes before making another on the 14th and closed her round with an eagle on the 18th to end the day at 67 and a 9-under par total.
She is five shots behind the leader Hannah Green. She had 69-68 on first two days.
Diksha, who had 67-72 on the first two days, put herself back into the top 10 with a 65.
Diksha opened her day with a birdie and played bogey free for the first 11 holes and also picked up four birdies.
On the 13th hole, Diksha dropped a shot for the first and only time in her round before making three consecutive birdies soon after to close the day with a 65.
Pranavi Urs, the third Indian to have made the cut, struggled again. She carded a round of 4-over 75. Her round included an eagle on the fifth and a birdie on the seventh but four birdies and one double bogey were her undoing.
-PTI
Aaron Rai, Theegala miss the cut in Valspar
Aaron Rai carded a second round of 5-over 77 and missed the cut at the Valspar Championship despite a strong opening round that had placed him in the top 10 here.
Rai totalled 3-over par (68-77).
Sahith Theegala also missed the cut. Theegala began the week with a difficult first round and had left himself too much ground to cover on the second day if he was to make cut.
He carded an even par 72 on the second round to finish the week at 6-over par (77-72).
Rai began his second round on the back nine with a birdie before making three bogeys and a double bogey by the turn to have dropped five strokes in the first nine holes of the day.
On the front nine Rai opened once more with a birdie only to make another four bogeys and one more birdie.
The seven bogeys and one double bogey brought his score for the day to 6-over par and an early close to the week.
-PTI
Published on Mar 21, 2026