Reeth Tennison and Manush Shah bagged the women’s and men’s singles titles respectively as India completed a grand double in the ITTF Ecuador International Open 2021 played at Cuenca, Ecuador, on Sunday.
Reeth clinched the gold medal by defeating compatriot Ankita Das 4-2 in the women’s singles final while Manush Shah defeated Juan Jesus Gomez of Mexico 4-1 in the m’n’s singles final. India also won silver medals in men’s and women’s doubles in a successful outing for the squad in Ecuador.
In the women’s singles final, the 26-year-old Reeth, a Mumbai-based TSTTA player, was engaged in a close tussle for Supremacy with 28-year-old Ankita, who started on a positive note by winning the opening game at the Complejo Deportivo Totoracocha, Cuenca.
But, Reeth showed plenty of determination and fought back strongly to win the second and third games to take a slender 2-1 lead, according to information received here.
Ankita drew level by snatching a tense fourth game in extra points before Reeth once again found her attacking form and knocked the fight out of her teammate Ankita by winning the next two games, thus wrapping up the contest with a 6-11, 11-4, 11-6, 16-18, 11-1 and 11-6 win.
India completed a grand double when Manush Shah defeated Juan Jesus Gomez of Mexico 4-1 in the men’s singles final. The 20-year-old Gujarat paddler Manush was in control as he dictated the rallies against his 18-year-old Mexican rival and went on to close out the match with a creditable 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, and 11-9 victory and claimed the country’s second gold medal.
However, Reeth and Shah were both denied from adding another gold medal to their kitty. The Indian pair of Reeth and Ankita suffered a 1-3 (4-11, 11-6, 7-11, 13-15) defeat at the hands of the Mexican duo of Clio Barcenas Arantxa Cossio in the women’s doubles final.
Later, in the men’s doubles summit clash, Shah along with Sanil Shetty were unable to combine effectively and went down fighting to the Mexican combination of Juan Jesus Gomez and Dario Acre in a 5-game thriller. Juan and Dario held their nerves to carve out a deserving 3-2 (11-7, 4-11, 3-11, 11-9, and 11-8) victory.
Earlier in the women’s singles penultimate round encounters, Reeth brushed aside Ecuador’s 20-year-old challenger Nathaly Paredes 4-1 (11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4) and Ankita blanked Mexico’s 19-year-old Clio Barcenas 4-0 (13-11, 11-2, 11-6, 13-11).
In the men’s singles semi-finals, Shah encountered a strong challenge from Mexico’s 19-year-old Dario Arce and was taken the distance before he managed to pull through by a tight 4-3 (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-13 and 11-3) scores, while Juan also faced tough fight from Ecuador’s 27-year-old Rodrigo Tapia before snatching a hard-fought 4-3 (7-11, 14-12, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11 and 11-9) verdict.
Results:
Women’s singles (final):
Reeth Tennison (IND) beat Ankita Das (IND) 4-2 (6-11, 11-4, 11-6, 16-18, 11-1, 11-6); Semi-finals: Reeth Tennison (IND) beat Nathaly Paredes (ECU) 4-1 (11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4); Ankita Das (IND) beat Clio Barcenas (MEX) 4-0 (13-11, 11-2, 11-6, 13-11).
Men’s singles (final):
Manush Shah (IND) beat Juan Jesus Gomez (MEX) 4-1 (11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7, 11-9); Semi-finals: Manush Shah (IND) beat Dario Arce (MEX) 4-3 (11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-13, 11-3); Juan Jesus Gomez (MEX) beat Rodrigo Tapia (ECU) 4-3 (7-11, 14-12, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9).
Women’s doubles (final):
Clio Barcenas/Arantxa Cossio (MEX) beat Reeth Tennison/Ankita Das (IND) 3-1 (11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 15-13).
Men’s doubles (final):
Juan Jesus Gomez/Dario Acre (MEX) beat Manush Shah/Sanil Shetty (IND) 3-2 (11-7, 4-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-8).
