Anindita craves for more TT success

Kolkata, Jan 19 (PTI) In her 21st senior national tabletennis championship appearance, Anindita Chakraborty does notappear tired of playing but craves for more success.

Having helped West Bengal qualify for a memorable finalfor the first time after 1999 in Chennai, the never-say-dieAnindita made a humble confession: "This is one thing I knowthe best. I will play as long as I can."

After making her fourth final appearance for West Bengal,Anindita, who has also played for Railways, said she playsfreely now.

"I play more freely now. There is no pressure that isworking in favour of me," Anindita, who is in her mid-thirtiestold PTI.

"But the play has become faster now-a-days. There is verylittle margin error after it has become an 11-point format. Ithelps to wrap it up easily with less physical strain but onthe flip side once you are down, it''s very difficult torecover," she said referring to her loss in the second rubber.

The veteran beat Shruti Talnikar of Maharashtra A 16-18,12-10, 11-8, 11-7 to lead West Bengal''s recovery path afterthey lost the first rubber in an error-prone match.

"Maybe it was because of a pressure situation playing infront of a home crowd. I had beaten the same opponent easilyin the zonal meet," she said.

In fact, Anindita made a superb comeback in the fourthset of her match against Shruti when she recovered from a 1-4deficit to trail past her Maharashtra opponent and make it 1-1in favour of West Bengal.

Anindita then cheered on from the sidelines when anotherveteran Meenu Basak beat a spirited Vedika Garg in a pulsatingfive-setter to make it 2-1 in the hosts favour.

"It was a calculated move and she did it as per ourplans. She did not play in the quarters but we brought herdeliberately as she plays really well against a junioropponent and she did exactly," said the inspirationalAnindita, who is also an executive council member of the WestBengal Table Tennis Association and a state selector.

Asked about her strategy against PSPB in the finaltomorrow, she said: "Undoubtedly, it will be tough goingagainst them. But we will not give up easily, we will fighttill the end." PTI TAP AMD SHN