Franklyn Seechan and Linda Partap-Boodhan captured the men’s and women’s Open Singles titles when the Central Zone of the T&T Table Tennis Association 12th annual Low-Cost Tournament continued at the Tunapuna Hindu Primary School on Monday.
In the men’s competition, Seechan first played unbeaten in his four-player round-robin Pool A qualifiers before he swept past Jerry Joseph, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9, in the semifinals and then Messiah Walcott, 11-8, 11-5, 13-11, in the tournament final.
Walcott had earlier ended with a similar 2-1 record in his round-robin pool with Joseph, and Harnarine Moonasar, but emerged winner of the pool based on a better sets-won to sets-loss record, before he ousted Pool A runner-up Hayden Hanes in his semifinal, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6.
Partap-Boodhan was equally as impressive in the women’s five-player round-robin finals as she registered straight sets wins against her two daughters, Lyllana Boodhan and Rayanna Boodhan as well as Arlene Joseph and Shreya Maraj, to claim the title with a perfect 4-0 record.
Rayanna won her three other matches to secure the second spot with a 3-1 record, while her sister Lyllana took third with a 2-2 mark and Joseph, the fourth spot after her win against Maraj.
It was a very productive competition for Partap-Boodhan as she also enjoyed success in the women’s teams, mixed doubles, and women’s doubles to add to her Veterans Division crown captured on the opening night while Sharazz Ali was also a multiple winner.
In the women’s teams competition, THS ‘A’ trio of Jessie Sampath, Partap-Boodhan and Preeti Singh defeated Enterprise (3-1), THS ‘B’ (3-1), and THS ‘C’ (3-1), to secure the title with a 3-0 record while the THS ‘C’ team of Lyllana Boodhan, Ashlea Mohammed, and Urbi Chakrabarti was second with a 2-1 mark, followed by the trio of Rayanna Boodhan, Shreya Maraj, and Arielle Bhagan of THS ‘B’ with a 1-2 record, while Enterprise ended winless (0-3).
The THS and Friends ‘A’ trio of Partap-Boodhan, her daughter Rayanna Boodhan, and Sharazz Ali dominated the Teams ‘A’ category with victories over THS and Friends ‘B’, Couva ‘A’, both by similar 3-1 margins, and Couva ‘B’ by walkover (3-0).
Couva ‘A’ took second with a 2-1 mark, while THS ‘B’ secured the third spot with a 1-2 mark.
Sharazz Ali paired with Jerry Joseph to beat Lorenzo Mota and Messiah Walcott, 10-12, 8-11, 11-4, 11-2, 11-7; Ronnie Guevarra and Bachan Singh, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-7, and Satesh Jodhan, and Harnarine Moonasar, 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-8 to lift the men’s doubles crown.
Mota and Walcott won their two other matches to secure the second spot while Jodhan, and Moonasar, ended in the third spot with a 1-2 mark.
The mixed doubles final went to Partap-Boodhan and Sharazz Ali via their 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 defeat of Lyllana Boodhan and Satesh Jodhan.
Earlier in the semifinals, Partap-Boodhan and Ali overcame Arlene Joseph, and Jerry Joseph 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 while Lyllana Boodhan and Jodhan stopped Rayanna Boodhan and Lorenzo Mota, 11-4, 11-6, 3-11, 13-15, 11-6.
In the women’s doubles, the mother and daughter combination of Partap-Boodhan and Lyllana, defeated Linda’s other daughter Rayanna and Shreya Maraj, 11-3, 116, 11-6, in their final.
The Teams ‘B’ Division title was captured by Spot Lights comprising the trio of Dharion Bachu, Anandi Mahangroo, and Israel Ali after they played unbeaten against Uno (3-2), Super Troopers (3-1), and Blue Clues (3-2) to end with a perfect 3-0 record.
Uno took the second spot with a 2-1 win-loss record with Super Troopers (1-2) in the third spot, and the winless Blue Clues, in the fourth position.
In the B singles competition, Bachu got the better of Roshan Mahangroo, 11-6, 5-11, 14-12, 11-6, in an entertaining final.
In the semifinals, Bachu defeated Jaden Sammy, 11-3, 11-6, 11-7, and Mahangroo beat Preeti Singh, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7.