Team Goemkarponn
Panjim: Top seeds Rishan Shaikh and Chandan Caro stamped their authority at the YMCA Major Ranking Table Tennis Tournament, storming into the finals of both the Under-17 and Under-19 Boys categories at the Indoor Stadium, Campal.
Organised by YMCA Panjim under the aegis of the Goa Table Tennis Association, the tournament witnessed spirited performances from Goa’s emerging paddlers, but the top two seeds proved too strong, cruising to twin summit clashes.
In the U17 Boys quarterfinals, Rishan (1) blanked Yug Prabhu (6) 3-0, while Chinmay Bakhare overcame Surendra Chube 3-1. Third seed Dhruva Kamat downed Ruhaan Shaikh 3-0, before Chandan (2) dismissed Dhruv Kanji in straight games. The semis saw Rishan edge past Chinmay 3-1 in a hard-fought battle, while Chandan breezed past Dhruva 3-0, setting up a blockbuster title clash.
The U19 Boys draw also saw the two top seeds dominate. Chandan (1) defeated Surendra Chube 3-0 in the quarters, while fourth seed Ruhaan stunned third seed Dhruva 3-1. Rishan advanced past Vedant Wagle via walkover, and Yug Prabhu outplayed Chinmay 3-0. In the semis, Chandan overpowered Ruhaan 3-0, and Rishan brushed aside Yug 3-0, ensuring a repeat showdown in the U19 final.
With both age-group finals featuring the same protagonists, all eyes will be on whether Rishan or Chandan can complete a golden double at YMCA’s premier ranking event.
