Harmeet and Sayali hold nerves to claim singles crown (extracted from TTFI)

Indore, December 30:

AAI 52nd Institutional Table Tennis Championships at Abhay Prashal today.

In the women’s singles final, Sayali Wani capped off the championships in style, producing a composed and authoritative performance to clinch the title. Her triumph rounded off a memorable tournament, underlining the depth and competitiveness on display across both singles events.

Sayali Wani continued her rapid ascent on the domestic circuit with a sequence of high-pressure performances that underlined her growing stature as a clutch competitor. At last year’s Inter-Institutional Championships in Chandigarh, Sayali played a pivotal role in the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board’s women’s team campaign. In the semifinals against Reserve Bank of India, she was entrusted with the decisive fifth rubber—a clear indication of the faith placed in her temperament—and delivered under pressure, overcoming Diya Chitale to propel PSPB into the final and eventually the team title.

The youngster followed that up with an even more telling statement in the women’s singles final today. Trailing 0–2 against fellow PSPB paddler Syndrela Das, she showed remarkable composure and tactical clarity to turn the match on its head. Raising her intensity and tightening her control, Sayali reeled off four straight games to seal a memorable 4–2 victory.

The comeback, marked by increasing dominance as the match progressed, stands out as one of the most significant achievements of her young career. More than the title itself, it was Sayali’s calm handling of crunch situations—in both team and individual events—that caught the eye, reinforcing her reputation as a player who thrives when the stakes are highest.

In the women’s semifinals, Syndrela produced a controlled display to sweep past Swastika Ghosh of PSPB in straight games, and Sayali Wani advanced after Sutirtha Mukherjee of RSPB conceded due to a shoulder strain, with Sayali already firmly in command of the match.

Results:

Semifinals: Snehit bt Manava Thakkar (PSPB) 11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 11-7; Harmeet bt Manush Shah (RBI) 4-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 14-12.

Women’s Singles: Final: Sayali Wani (PSPB) bt Syndrela Das (PSPB) 10-12, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7.

*Extract from : TTFI: Harmeet and Sayali hold nerves to claim singles crown