Aleena Edwards of the University of T&T retained her Women's Open champion of the Insurance Company of the West Indies Silver Bowl Senior Table Tennis Tournament on Saturday when she defeated her niece Imani Edwards in four sets to lift the title for a second time at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua.
The final, a repeat of last year's where the University of T&T player got the better of her counterpart in five sets, this time took her less time. Aleena first jumped ahead by taking the first two sets by identical scores of 11-5, 11-5.
However, Imani, the Queen's Park player, stormed back in the third set by claiming the win 11-5 to force a fourth set. However, it proved to be in vain as the 12-time national champion sealed the win in that set 13-11.
Earlier, the two players proved to be in a no-nonsense mood, which signalled their desire to take the title. Imani took care of her Queen's Park colleague Priyanka Khelawan in the semifinal 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, while Aleena was a run-away winner over Linda Partap Boodhan in the other semifinal 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, setting up a mouth-watering final contest.
Imani has not had any luck lately, as Khelawan beat her the last two times they met in last month's Under-19 and U-21 girls finals of the Junior Silver Bowl tournament.
Imani was also beaten in the final of Classified Women A1 by Ambika Sitram in April.
