Defending champions Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) crushed Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh women by identical 3-0 margins in Group A to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the Senior National Table Tennis Championship, which began here on Monday.
Bengal women too were hardly tested as they defeated Haryana and Chhattisgarh in Group B to also secure a pre-quarters berth.
RSPB’s Poulomi Ghatak conceded just 10 points in three games against Priyanka Yadav of Rajasthan on way to an 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 win. Though young Iti Sharma won some applause in her match against K Shamini for her eye-catching topspin, she never really threatened the national champion, who clinched the game at 11-5, 11-6, 11-2. Mouma Das finally outplayed Parul Singh 11-3, 11-5, 11-1 to complete a 3-0 whitewash.
Shamini faced here real test against Pooja Sharma of Madhya Pradesh, when she was stretched for crucial points in the dying minutes of the first game before winning 13-11. Looking a bit cautious, Shamini won the second game 11-6, before being tested again in the final game, which she won 12-10.
Playing without their star player, Sharath Kamal, PSPB men were off to a flying start in Group A, blanking Delhi 3-0. Sanil Shetty kept smashing hard against Peeyush Prasad to win 11-6, 11-6, 11-6, before Subhajit Saha scored a thrilling win against Sameer Saini 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Anuj Khandelwal was expected to pose some challenge to Soumyadeep Roy, but he fizzled out 11-4, 11-6, 11-6.
Playing without their star player, Sharath Kamal, PSPB men were off to a flying start in Group A, blanking Delhi 3-0. Sanil Shetty kept smashing hard against Peeyush Prasad to win 11-6, 11-6, 11-6, before Subhajit Saha scored a thrilling win against Sameer Saini 11-9, 11-9, 11-7. Anuj Khandelwal was expected to pose some challenge to Soumyadeep Roy, but he fizzled out 11-4, 11-6, 11-6.