India table tennis player Sharath Kamal beat top-seed Anthony Amalraj 4-1 to win the men’s singles title for the eighth time, equaling the feat of Kamlesh Mehta at the Senior Table Tennis Nationals on Tuesday.
The win was worth Rs2 lakh, but what Sharath would have cherished more on the evening was the warm hug that he received from the man, who held the record for so many years watching him perform from close quarters.
“It’s a proud moment for me personally, Sharath deserves all the accolades,” said Mehta.
But Sharath was equally humble when he said, “What he (Kamlesh) did was more praiseworthy because I am two levels above the current lot of players. But Kamlesh had to fight with players of same calibre to accomplish the honour.”
Suthirta Mukehrjee from West Bengal emerged the new women’s champion, beating Hyderabad Nationals winner Manika Batra 4-3. Her maiden effort fetched Rs1.5 lakh.
