Sathiyan, Poulomi win Inter-Institutional TT titles

G Sathiyan, a youth boys and national ranking champion, graduated to the next level to become the men's singles champion in the AAI 44th Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagraj Stadium here today.
He defeated PSPB colleague and reigning national champion Soumyajit Ghosh 4-2 in the final. Veteran player Poulomi Ghatak won the women's singles crown beating PSPB teammate Pooja Sahasrabudhe 4-2.
At 10-9 serving for the championship, Sathiyan must have had his foot in the mouth. Luckily, the rally yielded him the last point which came off a backhand flick. It was very badly needed as Sathiyan had goofed it up in the previous game-he missed two championships point-while allowing Soumyajit Ghosh save six.

"It is a great victory, coming after a long time," said Sathiyan, who also bagged two more crowns here - men's doubles with Sourav Saha and also the team title three days ago.
"I was really delighted to keep my attacking posture right through. Credit to my coach S. Raman (former national champion)," added Sathiyan, who got a Rs. 75,000 winner's cheque.
Similarly, fit-again former national champion Poulomi demonstrated that all was well with her play to defeat young Pooja in the evening, after having felled second-seed Madhurika Patkar in the semifinal 4-3 in the morning. Poulomi's efforts fetched her Rs. 58,000.

Results:

Men (Final): G. Sathiyan (PSPB) bt Soumyajit Ghosh (PSPB) 4-2 (11-1, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9); Semifinals: Soumyajit Ghosh (PSPB) bt Sanil Shetty (PSPB) 4-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10), G. Sathiyan (PSPB) bt Sarthak Gandhi (FCI) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7).
Doubles (Final): G. Sathiyan/Sourav Saha (PSPB) bt Soumyajit Ghosh/Harmeet Desai (PSPB) 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-9). Women (Final): Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) bt Pooja Sahasrabudhe (PSPB) 4-2 (12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8); Semifinals: Pooja Sahasrabudhe (PSPB) bt Mousumi Paul (PSPB) 4-2 (11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 11-3, 14-12, 11-6), Poulomi Ghatak (PSPB) bt Madhurika Patkar (RSPB) 4-3 (2-11, 12-10, 11-13, 5-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-3).

Doubles (Final): Nikhat Bhanu/Kritwikka Sinha Roy (AAI) bt Reeth Rishya/Narasimha Priya (PSPB) 3-0 (1107, 11-8, 11-9).