Harmeet Desai, Ayhika Mukherjee win gold as hosts claim seven gold for a complete sweep

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Cuttack: Harmeet Desai and Ayhika Mukherjee won the men’s and women’s singles titles as hosts India completed a clean sweep, claiming all the seven gold medals on offer at the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships here Monday.

Harmeet, 26, defeated favourite G Sathiyan 4-3 (9-11 6-11 11-5 11-8 17-15 7-11 11-9 in a hard-fought final to claim the men’s singles title. After being down 0-2 initially, Harmeet made a valiant comeback to outwit Sathiyan in a marathon seven game contest.

Earlier in the day, Anthony Amalraj and Manav Thakkar claimed the men’s doubles gold by stunning top seeds Sathiyan and Sharath Kamal 3-1 (8-11 11-6 13-11 12-10).

In women singles, Ayhika won her maiden gold in the championships, thrashing former national champion Madurika Patkar 4-0 (11-6 11-4 11-9 19-17).

Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Krittwika Sinha Roy defeated compatriots Sreeja Akula and Mousumi Paul 3-1 (11-9 11-8 9-11 12-10) to claim the women’s doubles crown.

Interestingly, no paddler could replicate their gold-winning performance in other events. The domination of home paddlers could be gauged from the fact that all finals Monday featured only the Indians.

Indian paddlers topped the medals tally with seven gold, five silver and three bronze. England (2 silver, 3 bronze) were second ahead of Singapore (6 bronze), Malaysia and Nigeria (1 bronze each).

Results

Men singles (final): Harmeet Desai bt G Sathiyan 9-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 17-15, 7-11, 11-9. Semifinals: G Sathiyan bt Thomas Jarvis (ENG) 16-14, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9; Harmeet Desai bt Pang Yu En Koen (SGP) 10-12, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6, 11-2. Doubles Final: A Amalraj / Manav Thakkar bt A Sharath Kamal / G Sathiyan 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10. Semifinals: A Sharath Kamal / G Sathiyan bt Pang Yu En Koen / Chua Shao Han Josh (SGP) 12-10, 11-4, 14-12; A Amalraj / Manav Thakkar bt Samuel Walker / Thomas Jarvis (ENG) 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5.

Women singles (final): Ayhika Mukherjee bt Madhurika Patkar 11-6, 11-4, 11-9, 19-17. Semifinals: Ayhika Mukherjee bt Ho Tin-Tin (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-4, 11-4; Madhurika Patkar bt Sreeja Akula 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12. Doubles (Final): Pooja Sahasrabudhe / Krtittwika Sinha Roy bt Sreeja Akula / Mousumi Paul 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10. Semifinals: Pooja Sahasrabudhe / Krtittwika Sinha Roy bt Goi Rui Xuan / Wong Xin Ru (SGP) 11-7, 12-10, 11-9; Sreeja Akula / Mousumi Paul bt Sutirtha Mukherjee / Ayhika Mukherjee 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.