Opportunity for fringe players to get a look-in

Both Soumyajit and Ankita were part of the Indian squad that competed in the Asian Championships at Pattaya. Ghosh, who plays in Swedish League, has a prior commitment while Ankita has cited personal reason for her withdrawal.
The event, being the second all-India ranking championships, has attracted nearly 1,000 entries in different categories—Cadet, Sub-Junior, Junior, Youth and Senior—in both the boys and girls sections form about 650 players.

The Table Tennis Federation, which has three important international tournaments to organize in the remaining season, will look up to these zonal events as the yardstick for any national camp as well as selection of teams for the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at Surat in December, the SAF Games in Shillong and the Global Junior Circuit Finals at Indore, both in the month of January. Earlier this year, the national federation conducted the Asian Cup (Jaipur) and Indian Open (Indore).

The Central Zone championships also offer 10 gold medals in five categories and a prize purse of close to Rs.6 lakh, besides the valuable points for which the players compete.

Compared to the South Zone in August, the number of entries has thinned a bit and it could because of the new academic season and the approaching exams.

In spite of that, table tennis in a healthy state and the number of entries for the Jamnagar championships amply proves it. The players do realize the significance of ranking points which determine how steady a player’s progress has been in his or her category.

Achanta Sharath Kamal, who returned to action after five months at the Asian Championships (Thailand), will also skip the championships as he has been allowed to pick and choose his tournaments in order to keep him fit for bigger events. The 33-year-old ace paddler played a crucial role in the Indian squad entering quarterfinals at Pattaya. He had had entered the round of 32 in men’s singles along with Ghosh, and G. Sathiyan.

Though Sharath and Ghosh will not be here, the championships have other notable players in Harmeet Desai, who was also a part of the Indian squad in Thailand, Devesh Karia, who was a rage last season in the men’s section, and Manav Thakkar in the Junior Boys category to compensate. As for the women’s players, national champion Mouma Das, K. Shamini, Manika Batra, Pooja Sahasrabudhe and others will be seen in action.

The Cadet and sub-junior sections as well as Junior and Youth categories will also witness some exciting prospects, including a few up-and-coming players, locked in interesting duels during the course of the six-day championships.
The GSTTA has roped in Jamnagar Municipal Corporation as the title sponsors with Reliance Industries and Essar joining hands in as co and associate sponsors for the championships.

Competition Manager Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer said Stiga tables and Stag plastic balls will be used for the championships with Anil Dubey as the chief referee. He will be assisted by deputy referee A.S. Kler and 40 Blue Badge, international and national umpires.

GSTTA honorary secretary Haresh Sangtani said he was pleased with the arrangements that the Jamnagar District Table Tennis Association has made for the championships.

“I am happy that the local association wants to make it memorable event. I am also thankful to Jamnagar Municipal Corporation, the Reliance Industries, Essar for their cooperation,” said Sangtani.