Crown-hungry Jennifer jumps to 6th spot in World TT Rankings

 

The city paddler move-up seven places in U-15 age category

Wants to reach top 5 by the end of the year

In U-17, she moves up to 31st

In U-19 she jumps 35 places to 55th

n By Paritosh Pramanik

THE ever-improving and title hungry city’s international table tennis player Jennifer Varghese has risen to a career-best sixth spot in the world table tennis rankings which released on Tuesday.

Jennifer, who won Youth Contender title in Agadir in Morocco on Sunday, entered the top 10 of the Under-15 age category for the first time. Jennifer, a student of Centre Point School, Katol Road, has won six titles since she made her international debut at WTT Youth Contender in Tunisia in March.

After her Tunisia heroics where she won her first international title in Under-15 age group and where she ended second best in U-17 category, Jennifer had leaped to the 20th spot in the rankings. 

She then improved her position at the Havirov competition at Czech Republic after winning another U-15 crown in June, moving up to 13th position.

At Morocco where she finished second best, the rising paddler garnered 60 points which took her to sixth position with a total of 1019 points.

It has been an amazing turnaround for Jennifer who, a few months back, never thought of making it to the Indian team.

“A few months back I did not even think that I might get the chance to play in international tournaments. But now reaching in the top ten ranking is like an amazing dream come true. I am extremely happy to be on that ranking and I will strive to play better to reach the top five in Under-15,” the talented paddler told ‘The Hitavada.’

Jennifer is also a proud owner of South Asian Junior and Cadet TT Championship held in Maldives, where she won three gold medals, one each in individual, team and doubles events.

The 14-year-old paddler is doing fairly better in the higher age groups as well. In the Under-17 age category, Jennifer has moved up to 31st in the world. Her Under-17 title at Agadir in Morocco fetched her 350 points.

In the Under-19 age group, Jennifer is fighting well against much older and experienced paddlers from the world and has jumped 35 places to move to 55th in the rankings.

Jennifer is now hoping to be inside top 5 bracket in Under-15 by the end of the year for which she said she would have to work much harder. “At the end of 2022 I hope to be in the top 5 of U-15 and in the top 20 of U-17. In U-19 I want to be in top 40. My next focus would mostly be on trying to better my game and perfecting my strokes for all upcoming matches,” concluded Jennifer.

Jennifer’s performance since March, 2022

Event Date Position

WTT Youth Contender (Tunsia) 21-27 Mar (U-15 Winner, U-17 Runners-up)

South Asia Cadet and Jr TT C’ships (Maldives) 9-11 May (U-15 Singles Winner, Doubles Winner, Team Winner)

WTT Youth Contender Havirov (Czech Rep) 6-12 Jun (U-15 Winner)

WTT Youth Contender Agadir (Morocco) 1-7 Aug (U-17 Winner, U-15 Runners-up)