Apte claims junior boys singles title

Pune, June 6 (UNI) Second seed Raunak Apte today spoiled the party of top seed Sanmay Paranjape in a thriller 11-7, 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 and lifted the junior boys under-17 singles title in the Le Meridien Players Cup district ranking table tennis championship being hosted jointly by the PDTTA and the Deccan Gymkhana Club here.

In the girls category, top seed Sayali Deshpande justified her top billing by showing the exit door to unseeded Sruja Bhat in straight games 11-9, 14-12, 11-4, 11-9 to capture the corresponding junior girls singles crown.

Unseeded teeanager Sruja Bhat, the winner of the under-14 cadet girls singles crown, created a flutter by accounting the seasoned Sai Bakre in straight games 11-6, 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 to storm into the last eight stage today of the Youth Girls under-20 singles event.

Joining her will be top seed Dipti Chaphekar and second seed Ruhi Sidhaye. Chaphekar brushed aside the challenge of unseeded Shrungeri Pawale in staright games 11-2, 11-3, 11-7, 11-5, while Shidhaye sent unseeded Sayali Gujarathi packing 11-1, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3.

The most entertaining and exciting fare was seen in the men's singles event, when second seed Martand Biniwale survived a scare from unseeded Nachiket Joshi before romping home 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6 and sailed into the semi-finals.

Also joining the winners are fifth seed Tanay Shinde and eighth seed Deepak Kadam. Shinde got the better of Sagar Gokhale in a tight match at 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-9, while Kadam showed the exit door to Karan Kadam 4-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3.

Top seed Rohit Chaudhari did not have to struggle much before downing Sanmay Paranjape 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 11-4 to enter the semis.

Following are the results : Men's Singles Quarters: Amit Gadre bt Amit Thakur 11-8, 2-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-2; Raunak Apte bt Atul Bapat 11-8, 11-6, 11-9, 12-10; Vivek Kolte beat Parag Juvekar 12-10, 6-11, 12-10, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8. Ranay Shinde bt Sagar Gokhale 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-9; Deepak Kadam beat Karan Kadam 4-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3; Martand Biniwale bt Nachiket Joshi 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6; Rohit Choudhari bt Sanmay Paranjape 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 11-4.

Youth Girls Singles (Under-20) Quarters: Dipti Chaphekar bt Shrungeri Pawale 11-2, 11-3, 11-7, 11-5; Ruhi Sidhaye beat Sayali Gujarathi 11-1, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3; Sruja Bhat bt Sai Bakre 11-6, 11-3, 11-5, 11-9.

Veterans above 40 years Quarters: Parag Juvekar bt Roni Todiwala 11-6, 11-2, 11-6; Ajaya Kothavale bt Avinash Joshi 11-8, 11-7, 11-7; Nitin Mahendale bt Balasaheb Shelar 11-3, 11-5, 11-6; Pradip Parale beat Vivek Urankar 11-9, 12-10, 11-6.

Junior Boys Single (Under-17) Finals: Raunak Apte bt Sanmay Paranjape 11-7, 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9.

Junior Girls Singles (Under-17) Finals: Sayali Deshpande bt Sruja Bhat 11-9, 14-12, 11-4, 11-9.

Youth Boys Single (Under-20) Quarters: Martand Biniwale bt Siddharth Mehta 12-10, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11; Sanmay Paranjape bt Kaushal Kulkarni 11-7, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4; Arjun Gokhale bt Amish Karamchandani 11-13, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-9.

Youth Girls Singles (Under-20) Semi-finals: Dipti Chaphekar beat Priyanka Joshi 11-6, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8.

UNI