Friends Dhruv Shah, Akshat Jain set up semi-final battle

Vibhyor’s Akshat Jain (left) and Hirandani’s Dhruv Shah. Pics/Atul Kamble

Friends and sparring partners, Dhruv Shah, 14, of Hiranandani International School (Powai) and Akshat Jain, 15, of Vibgyor High (Goregaon) scored easy quarter-final victories on Friday to set-up a clash that will decide who progresses to the boys' U-16 final of the MSSA inter-school table tennis tournament.

Dhruv and Akshat, both from TSTTA, train at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Krida Sankul, Vile Parle.

Fifth-seed Dhruv showed tremendous control and craft to outsmart Ayush Sonawane of Gokuldham HS (Goregaon) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 in the quarter-finals at the Kamgar Krida Bhavan, Parel.

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On another table, the lanky top-seeded Akshat with his powerful looping drives packed too much firepower for Vibhum Sadhale of Hiranandani International School, winning his quarter-final 11-5, 11-7, 11-6.

Dhruv believes that the double gold medals he won in the boys' U-15 and U-17 competitions at the recently-concluded JVPG-TSTTA District TT championship will boost his confidence. "Akshat and myself have played together a lot, but I recently defeated him in the boys' U-17 semis and that have given me a lot of confidence," Dhruv, who had won the boys' U-14 crown last year, told mid-day.

Meanwhile, Akshat, who won the JVPG-TSTTA boys' U-19 title, promised a tough contest. "Dhruv always says he'll lose, but goes on to win. I'm the defending champion and want to retain my title," he said.

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In another quarter-final tie, Yuvraj Yadav defeated Soham Sawant 11-5, 8-11, 11-3, and 11-6. In Saturday's semi-finals, Yuvraj will meet Vedant Agrawal, who beat Tanmay Rao 11-13, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9.