Amalraj, Sutirtha win singles titles in South Asian Games

Anthony Amalraj defeated compatriot Harmeet Desai while Sutirtha Mukherjee downed Ayhika Mukherjee to claim the men's and women's single's titles as India made a clean sweep of gold and silver medals in table tennis in the South Asian Games here on Friday.

With seven gold and five silver, Indian paddlers have now won the maximum medals on offer in the discipline.

It was a difficult start for Amalraj, who was 0-3 down in the final before overcoming Harmeet 6-11, 9-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7.

Sutirtha, too, did not have an easy outing as she began badly against Ayhika but took the last three games to seal the victory 8-11, 11-8, 6-21, 11-4, 13-11, 11-8.

Earlier in the semifinals, top-seed Harmeet defeated Purushottam B of Nepal 11-5, 11-4, 11-1, 11-4 and Amalraj accounted for Santoo Shrestha 11-4, 12-10, 11-8, 11-2, also of Nepal.

In the women's semifinals, Sutirtha and Ayhika beat their Sri Lankan opponents Ishara Madurangi (11-7,11-4, 11-7, 11-5) and Erandi Dilushika (11-7, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5), also in straight games to stamp their authority.