by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Impressively, Archana Girish Kamath beat Mousimi Paul (11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8), before accounting for Harsha Vardhini Calange (11-4, 11-8, 11-3, 11-4).
Similarly, Priyanka Pareek overcame Priyadarshini Das (11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 13-15, 11-7) and Moumita Dutta (11-4, 11-1, 11-9, 11-5).
Success as was to be anticipated; it was not the scenario for Madhurika Patkar nor for Sreeja Akula, both players who have enjoyed notable international success.
Madhurika Patkar won the Women’s Singles title at the 2015 Commonwealth Championships in Surat, having in 2009 at the Indian Open in Indore reached the semi-final stage.
Meanwhile, on the ITTF World Junior Circuit, Sreeja Akula clinched the Junior Girls’ Singles event in 2013 in El Salvador, before being a semi-finalist on home soil in India in both 2015 and 2016.
In the qualification tournament in New Delhi; Madhurika Patkar, after accounting for Krithwika Roy (9-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8), was beaten by Sutirtha Mukherjee (11-9, 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4). Somewhat similarly but in reverse order, Sreeja Akula experienced defeat at the hands of Amrutha Pushpak (11-9, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4), prior to overcoming Selena Selvakumar (10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5).
“In 2016 I played Sreeja three times in India and won all three times. I am quite comfortable with her; today was a really good win for me as I haven’t been playing international tournaments for quite a long time. It’s a good start. Playing with a known player, being the first match was really helpful; it was a different experience playing in an international tournament, representing the country. It feels all good. It will improve my world ranking since Sreeja is already ranked. It feels great representing the country a proud moment for me. I will give my best and make my country proud too”, Amrutha Pushpa
In the concluding group stage contests, in order to determine the final order, Amrutha Pushpak meets Selena Selvakumar, Sutirtha Mukherjee confronts Krittwika Roy; in the two groups where matters advanced as expected, Harsha Vardhini Calange meets Mousumi Paul, Moumita Dutta opposes Priyadarshini Das.
