Indian Sports Wrap, March 17: RBI women’s team beats PSPB at Senior Table Tennis Nationals

TABLE TENNIS

PSPB men, RBI women emerge champions at 87th Senior National Table Tennis Championship

The Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) men’s team clinched its 24th consecutive title, defeating West Bengal in the final of the 87th Inter-State and Senior National Table Tennis Championship, sponsored by Ultimate Table Tennis, in Indore on Tuesday.

However, the highlight of the day was the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) women’s team scripting a remarkable comeback to edge past PSPB in a thrilling final at the Abhay Prashal Indoor Stadium, securing its third title in four years. In a contest that lasted over three hours, Sreeja Akula — India’s highest-ranked paddler — defeated Yashaswini Ghorpade in the deciding fifth game of the final rubber to seal the victory.

PSPB had looked set for a double when Taneesha Kotecha stunned Sreeja in the opening match and Yashaswini comfortably beat Ayhika Mukherjee to give her team a 2-0 lead.

Diya Chitale, the reigning national champion, found herself trailing 1-6 in the second game against teenager Syndrela Das after losing the opener. However, Diya turned the tide with aggressive play, countering Syndrela’s sidespin returns to keep RBI in contention.

Ayhika then levelled the tie by dominating Taneesha to force a decider. In the final match, Sreeja held her nerve, unleashing her trademark down-the-line forehand topspin winners at crucial moments to clinch the title.

The men’s final, as expected, was largely one-sided. However, veteran Harmeet Desai was tested by left-hander Bodhisatwa Chaudhury. After leading 2-0 and 9-3, Harmeet appeared to lose focus, conceding eight consecutive points to drop the game. Bodhisatwa carried the momentum forward to level the match at two games apiece, but Harmeet’s experience ultimately prevailed as he won the decider to secure both the match and PSPB’s title.

The individual events began late on Tuesday evening, with Swastika Ghosh pulling out of the individual events due to medical reasons.

-Amol Karhadkar

GOLF

World No. 3 Tommy Fleetwood to defend DP World India Championship title

Tommy Fleetwood will return to defend his title at the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club from October 15 to 18.

The world No. 3 triumphed over a strong field in the inaugural edition last season to claim his eighth title on the DP World Tour and will tee it up again in the 4,000,000 dollar event.

“I had an incredible week at the DP World India Championship last season,” Fleetwood said in a release.

“There is so much to enjoy about being in India, from the warmth of the people and the atmosphere in the city to the food, and playing at such a challenging and strategic course.”

-Team Sportstar

Ridhima, Tvesa and Jasmine ready for battle in 6th leg of Hero WPG Tour

Ridhima Dilawari, Tvesa Malik and Jasmine Shekar, who have won four of the five events held so far this season on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, will lead a field of 53 players in the sixth leg.

Jasmine won the opening leg this season, while Ridhima claimed the second and fourth legs and Tvesa took top honours in the third.

The strong field at the Jaypee Wishtown Golf Course will also feature contenders such as Amandeep Drall, a former runner-up at the Women’s Indian Open, Anvitha Narender, Seher Atwal, Neha Tripathi, Heena Kang, Jahanvi Bakshi, Vidhatri Urs and Saanvi Somu.

The event will also feature seven amateurs. The presence of amateurs has grown in significance as they have regularly been in contention in recent years.

-Team Sportstar

Aryav takes lead in PGTI NexGen opening round

Aryav Shah fired a four-under 68 to take the lead after the opening round of the Rs 25 lakh DP World PGTI NexGen 2026 event here on Tuesday.

Ayaan and Ruhanraj, like Aryav, are also competing in their debut season on the DP World PGTI.

Aryav had a slow front nine, making two birdies and two bogeys. However, he produced a strong back nine with four birdies.

The 54-hole event features a field of 90. The top 35 players and ties will make the cut at the end of the second round on Wednesday.

-Team Sportstar

MOTORSPORTS

Akshay Gupta to race in Nürburgring endurance series with Sorg Rennsport

Indian racing driver Akshay Gupta will take the next step in his endurance racing career by joining Sorg Rennsport to compete in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

The 33-year-old from Ahmedabad will race the No. 949 Porsche Cayman GT4 CS in the Cup3 class, which forms part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring.

Gupta will share driving duties with 19-year-old German driver Darian Donkel, his former teammate at Mertens Motorsport in 2025, and fellow German racer Aaron Wenisch.

After three seasons competing in the VT2 production classes with Hyundai and BMW machinery, Gupta now steps up to the highly competitive Cup3 class. During this period he secured six podium finishes and two race victories.

The Cup3 category forms part of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring and is known for attracting some of the largest grids in the NLS championship. The cars are supplied by Porsche and are identical, with limited setup adjustments, placing greater emphasis on driver performance.

In the opening race on March 14, the Cup3 class features 21 entries.

Sorg Rennsport is one of the most established Porsche endurance teams at the Nürburgring and fields 10 entries in the NLS. The team has recorded more than 50 class victories across the NLS and RCN Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring.

The NLS season features 10 races, including nine four-hour events and one six-hour race, along with the flagship 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

-Team Sportstar

EQUESTRIAN

Inaara Mehta finishes sixth in FEI World Dressage Challenge rankings

Inaara Mehta was also chosen to represent Team India alongside Gaurav Pundir, Miraya R. Dadabhoy, and Samanna Everaa T. The team delivered a commendable performance, earning the No. 1 spot in FEI Zone 9 and ranking No. 7 worldwide.
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has released the rankings for the FEI World Dressage Challenge 2025, with Indian rider Inaara Mehta Luthria delivering a notable performance.

Representing the Amateur Riders Club, the 15-year-old competed on Dasha Deluxe and scored 69.875 per cent in the Youth category (12–16 years).

Inaara finished No. 1 in India and topped FEI Zone 9, which includes India, Singapore, the Philippines, New Zealand, Hong Kong and China. She also secured sixth place in the global rankings.

Inaara was part of the Indian team alongside Gaurav Pundir, Miraya R. Dadabhoy and Samanna Everaa T.

The team finished first in FEI Zone 9 and seventh in the world standings.

-Team Sportstar

TENNIS

Wild Card Arnav Paparkar enters second round of MSLTA 25K ITF Men’s Tournament

India U-18 No. 1 and local wildcard Arnav Paparkar made the most of his opportunity, reaching the second round of the men’s singles on the opening day of the MSLTA 25,000 dollars – ITF Men’s Tennis Tournament, organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) at the Dr G.A. Ranade Tennis Centre.

The 17-year-old from Pune was leading 6-2, 5-1 when his opponent Grigoriy Lomakin retired from the match.

Indian players delivered an impressive performance in the first round of the singles main draw. Seventh seed Sasikumar Mukund led the charge for the home contingent with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Thailand’s James Van Herzeele.

Ishaque Eqbal also progressed comfortably, defeating wildcard Raghav Jaisinghani 6-3, 6-2.

-Team Sportstar

CUE SPORTS

Dhruv Sitwala defeats Aashit Pandya 4-0 in Snooker Classic

Dhruv Sitwala produced a dominant show to defeat Aashit Pandya 4-0 in their fourth round match of the CCI Snooker Classic event in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The billiards pro Sitwala showed that he is equally proficient in the multi-coloured balls green baize game, winning the contest 4-0 (74-17, 46-31, 50-41, 63(48)-35).

Young Rohan Pai played confidently and grabbed his chances to accumulate the points and got the better of Ashish Gore 4-2 (69-42, 75(46)-1, 47-50, 53-40, 44-57, 78-42) in another round four match.

Another billiards player, Siddharth Parikh, recorded an impressive win as he beat Rohan Kothare 4-1 (58-16, 70-20, 72-44, 47-68, 76-55).

Rovin D’Souza was made to work hard for a 4-3 (92-45, 13-108(51, 55), 52-49, 53-49, 34-70, 41-58, 45-11) victory by R Girish to advance to the next round.

Meanwhile, veteran cueist Rafat Habib hammered Amit Sapru 4-0 (53-43, 73-43, 68-45, 72-28).

-PTI

BADMINTON

Aakarshi Kashyap enters Orleans Masters main draw

Aakarshi Kashyap advanced to the women’s singles main draw after registering two wins in the qualifying rounds at the Orléans Masters here on Tuesday.

World No. 63 Aakarshi first defeated compatriot Shriyanshi Valishetty 21-19, 17-21, 21-13 before overcoming Lee Y H of Chinese Taipei 21-17, 21-19 in the next round.

She will face Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min next.

In men’s singles qualifying, S Subramanian went down 12-21, 18-21 to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, a bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, who is on a comeback trail after an injury-plagued 2025 season in which he opted for rehabilitation over back surgery.

In women’s doubles, the Indian pair of Ashwini Bhat K and Shikha Gautam conceded a walkover to the Japanese duo of Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara.

-PTI

Published on Mar 17, 2026