Tanishka, Aakash win singles titles at Karnataka TT tournament

Bengaluru: A day after winning the under-17 singles' title, Tanishka Kalbhairav endured a mixed day by grabbing the women's singles crown but losing the under-15 girls' final at the 5th State-ranking table tennis tournament, in memory of late BM Sreenivasaiah, at the BMS Engineering College here on Wednesday.

Tanishka was pushed to the brink by Deshna M Vanshika but the former held her ground to score a thrilling 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 11-3 victory.

However, the 13-year-old's quest to clinch a third winners' trophy at the event went in vain as she was outsmarted by another upcoming paddler Sakshya Santhosh in a 12-10, 8-11, 11-3, 8-11, 9-11 battle.

While Aakash KJ defeated Atharva Nawarange 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 to take home the men's singles title, Atharva beat Vedant Vashisht 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 and Siddhanth M got the better of Shriram Kiran 5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 in the U-17 and U-15 boys' singles finals respectively.

Yashaswini Ghorpade on becoming national champ & preparing for Asian Games

Later in the day, the Bangalore Urban District Table Tennis Association (BUDTTA), the organisers of the event, felicitated some of the outstanding Karnataka table tennis players with cash awards and honoured three coaches for their contribution to the sport.

Players Yashaswani Ghorpade -- the current women's singles national champion and Asian Games-bound player -- Tanishka, Sakshya, Aakash, Siddant M and coaches Anshuman Roy, Krunal Telang and Sangam Bailoor were felicitated by K N Tilak Kumar, Joint Managing Director- Deccan Herald & Prajavani, Ravi GS, entrepreneur and Atul Ranjan, deputy general manager Canara Bank.

Results: Finals: Men: Singles: Aakash KJ bt Atharva Nawarange 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5.

Women: Singles: Tanishka Kalbhairav bt Deshna M Vanshika 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 11-3.

U-17: Boys: Atharva Nawarange bt Vedant Vashisht 11-9, 11-9, 11-8.

U-15: Boys: Siddhanth M bt Shriram Kiran 5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8.

Girls: Sakshya Santhosh bt Tanishka Kalbhairav 10-12, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8, 11-9.