GUWAHATI, May 2 � Railway Officers� Club Maligaon won the maiden NECCON Inter-Club Tennis Tournament beating Manipur Officers� Club (2-1) this evening at the India Club courts here.
Silchar Tennis Club came thrid as they got the better of India Club A team in the keenly contested play off between the losing semifinalists. The visitors, represented by Dr Angshuman Dutta and Ranjit Kumar won the nail-biting tie 8-7.
The finals appeared to be a relatively tame affair for the railwaymen despite some resistance from the Manipur officers. Though Manipur won the first of the best-of-three finals 9-4 defeating JP Singh and Dibyajyoti Barua, the men from Imphal faltered in the next two in the face of some attacking tennis of the Railways. For the winners, Ranjit Dutta and Manoj Chouhan triumphed over Dr Matum and Y Ibotombi (9-4) before Ranjit and JP Singh won over Y Ibotombi and T Pamei (9-3) to clinch the title 2-1. Earlier, H Iboyaima and Dr Matum did bring some hope for the Manipur team winning the first match.
Earlier, in the quarterfinals yesterday, Manipur had beaten India Club 2-1. But the winners of the first match of the final, H Iboyaima and T Panei, lost their first quaterfinal in the face of some excellent tennis from Rajib Dutta and his partner.
It was three days of exciting tennis in India Club amidst �bonhomie�, played in an atmosphere of festivity and brotherhood.
