Shetty given scare by Biniwale before booking final berth

Mumbai, July 28 (UNI) Youth Boys top seed Sanil Shetty of Mumbai Suburban was taken the distance before booking his place in the final, in the Bombay YMCA 2nd Maharashtra State Ranking Table Tennis Championship, at the Sachivalaya Gymkhana here today.

In the most exciting match of the day, Shetty survived a late challenge before clinching a nail-biting 12-10, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 4-11, 2-11, 11-9 win over a gallant fourth seed Martand Biniwale of Pune in the best-of-seven games semi-finals.

Shetty experienced an early surprise, when Biniwale lost a close opening game over extra points and came back to level at 1-1 by taking the second game.

Shetty then utilised his resources to surge to a 3-1 lead, but not before another tight fourth game. An unperturbed Biniwale, using both flanks and playing brilliantly, ignored the deficit and forced the decider after stumping a perplexed Shetty in the fifth and sixth games.

Biniwale ran Shetty close in the decider that could have gone either way. But Shetty snatched the game and match in a dramatic fashion following a winner and an unforced error.

Shetty set up a title clash with second seed and compatriot Aman Balgu who ended the winning streak of No.6 Noel Pinto, also of Mumbai Suburban, with an 11-5, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 win in the other semi-final.

Shetty's dramatic win overshadowed the quarter-final heroics of Pinto who shocked third seed and compatriot Shlok Kamdar 13-15, 11-7, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 in another thriller that went down to the wire.

Youth Girls top seed Ashlesha Bodas of Pune set up a title clash with second seed Prajakta Tipale of Thane after both were forced to the decider in thrilling semi-finals.

Bodas shunted out No 4 Shruti Talnikar of Thane, while Tipale overcame third seed Sukhada Kulkarni of Mumbai Suburban.

RESULTS: Youth Boys (SF): 1-Sanil Shetty (Mumbai Suburban) bt 4-Martand Biniwale (Pune) 12-10, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 4-11, 2-11, 11-9; 2-Aman Balgu (Mumbai Suburban) bt 6-Noel Pinto (Mumbai Suburban) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4.

QF: Sanil Shetty bt Chaitanya Udare (Nagpur) 13-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4; Noel Pinto bt 3-Shlok Kamdar (Mumbai Suburban) 13-15, 11-7, 11-13, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8; Aman Balgu bt Sanmay Paranjpe (Pune) 11-6, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7; Martand Biniwale bt Zubin Taraporewala (Thane) 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4; 7-11, 7-11, 11-7.

Youth Girls (SF): 1-Ashlesha Bodas (Pune) bt 4-Shruti Talnikar (Thane) 11-7, 2-11, 6-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5; 2-Prajakta Tipale (Thane) bt 3-Sukhada Kulkarni (Mumbai Suburban) 9-11, 21-19, 11-6, 6-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8.

QF: Shruti Talnikar bt 5-Juhi Dhote (Nagpur) 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 12-10; Prajakta Tipale bt 7-Mrunmayee Mhatre (Mumbai Suburban) 11-8, 6-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6; Sukhada Kulkarni bt Nikita Chatorikar (Nashik) 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-2; Ashlesha Bodas bt Radhika Patkar (Thane) 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4.

UNI GS AK VP0012