Jammu, Mar 21 (UNI) Sreeja Akula of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) dropped a game against Pranati P. Nair of Kerala before the reigning singles national champion picked up steam to take their team into the quarterfinals in the 84th UTT Inter-State National Table Tennis Championships at the Gymnasium Hall of Jammu University here on Tuesday.
Even before Sreeja, who played the second tie for RBI, consolidated their position, Ayhika Mukherjee put the top-seeded institutional squad in the lead with a comfortable 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 win over Seraha Jacob of Kerala. The experienced Ayhika needed no second invitation to shut out the Kerala woman in less than 15 minutes.
But Sreeja got caught on the wrong foot, struggling to adjust to Pranati's game plan and lost on extended points. However, the star paddler reverted to her attacking mode and reaped the benefits. Pranati, unable to cope with the pressure, wilted under pressure, and RBI went 2-0 up with a 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 win. Diya Chitale wasted no time disposing of Renuka Ashwani, winning the third tie 11-6, 11-6, 11-3.