Mumbai : Fr. Agnel upset second seeds Jamnabai Narsee to storm into the senior girls semi-finals, in the Maharashtra leg of the 11Even Sports Inter School State Table Tennis Championship on Friday. Fr. Agnel romped to a 3-0 win to set up a clash with New India, Pune, while top seeds IES V.N. Sule Guruji English halted Rahul International, Nalasopara 3-1 to face St. Blaise in the other semi-final. On an opening day of close encounters, AVM, Jankidevi Public and IES registered exciting 3-2 wins to enter the junior boys quarter-finals, while Balmohan Vidyamandir, Fr. Agnel and Cathedral & John Connon advanced to the senior boys quarter-finals after winning the decider.
Second seeds Utpal Sanghvi beat J.B. Petit 3-1 to enter the junior girls semi-finals after Vidhi P. Shah played a pivotal role by winning the opening singles, doubles and the crucial reverse singles. Utpal Sanghvi will meet R.N. Podar, while top seeds Jamnabai Narsee will face Jasudben ML in the other semi-final. Earlier in the day, the championship was inaugurated by MP Gajanan Kirtikar along with SAI deputy director Narendra Sopal and MCDTTA president Vita Dani. The Maharashtra leg has attracted about 500 players from over 100 schools. The team championship will have a minimum of two players per team comprising of singles and team events. The top teams from each leg will later compete in the National Championships to be held from December 8 to 10 at Indore.
