The enduring rivalry between Mizoram’s Jeho Himnakulpuingheta and Assam’s Agniv Bhaskar Gohain once again took centre stage on Day 3 of the 5th Toyota NIAPA Northeast Open Table Tennis Tournament, as the two paddlers advanced to the men’s singles final for the third consecutive edition. The tournament is being held at the NIAPA Mini Stadium in Chümoukedima.
Defending champion Jeho continued his dominant run with a clinical straight-set win over Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom in the semifinals. Displaying excellent control and sharp counter-attacks, Jeho wrapped up the match 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 to book his place in yet another final of the championship.
In the second semifinal, Assam’s Agniv Bhaskar Gohain produced a composed performance to overcome Mizoram’s Alberto Ruata 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4. Despite dropping the third set, Agniv regained his rhythm quickly and closed out the match to keep alive his bid to finally dethrone his long-time rival.
Sunday’s final will see Jeho and Agniv face off once again, marking their third successive meeting in the NIAPA Open men’s singles final. Jeho, one of the most consistent performers in the tournament’s history, will be aiming to defend the title for the fourth time. Agniv, meanwhile, will be hoping to reverse his fortunes after falling short against the Mizoram paddler in previous finals.
Both players have also made their mark in the men’s doubles event. Jeho, partnering Alberto Ruata, has advanced to the semifinals, while Agniv, alongside Shankab Gautam Baruah, will contest the other semifinal. The men’s singles final is scheduled for Sunday evening.
In the women’s singles semifinals, Assam’s Bhavna Kashyap secured her place in the final with a straight-set victory over Mizoram’s Moumita Saha, winning 11-9, 11-9, 11-9. Defending champion Trisha Gogoi of Assam also progressed to the final after a dominant 11-7, 11-3, 11-3 win over Anoushna. Bhavna and Trisha will now compete for the women’s singles crown.
The men’s doubles semifinals have been lined up with Mizoram’s Jeho Himnakulpuingheta and Alberto Ruata set to face Manipur’s Laishram Bikram Singh and Meisanam Basantakumar Singh. In the other semifinal, Manipur’s Khelendrajit Yengkhom and Ningthoujam Colman Singh will take on the Assam pair of Agniv Bhaskar Gohain and Shankab Gautam Baruah.
Meanwhile, the mixed doubles category progressed into the quarterfinal stage, with Assam pairs dominating the competition.
Organised by NIAPA, the championship continues to bring together leading table tennis players from across the Northeast, promoting competitive excellence and the growth of the sport in the region. The final matches of the tournament will be played on Sunday evening.