Ali Thameem
Aishath Rafa Nazim has been crowned women’s singles champion of the 63rd National Table Tennis Tournament after defeating Fathimath Dheema Ali in the final this evening.
Rafa won the final by dominating all four sets of the game. She was the first to take the lead and, from the second point on, Rafa held on to the lead until the end of the first set, at 11-9. Dheema was close to forcing a deuce in both the first and second sets, but the scoreline stood the same in the second set as well.
Dheema managed to take a two-point lead halfway through the second set, but Rafa was able to turn it around. She was even more in control of the game during the third set, at one point taking a five-point lead (7-2). Dheema held Rafa back at the seven-point mark and came close to equalizing the score before Rafa widened the gap, ending the third set 11-6.
The final set saw Dheema take a large lead for the first time in the match, making it 8-4 in her favor at one point. The set was dragged on by deuce play before Rafa scored back-to-back points and sealed the victory. It ended 15-13.
In a post-match interview, Rafa said she never lacked confidence throughout the game and that she had been prepared to play a stress-free game despite the high stakes. For Rafa, the semifinal was as challenging as the final, but that helped her prepare for the challenge against Dheema. Rafa won the semifinal match against Mishka Mohamed Ibrahim to reach the finals.
“It is a huge privilege; a huge achievement, (for me) to defeat Dheema in the final of a National Championship. My hope is to keep achieving more… on the international stage as well” – Aishath Rafa Nazim
Rafa admitted she came back from a long break away from the table. The break gave her an “advantage to the mind and to the body,” she said. It helped her watch her previous games and reflect on them. Rafa is currently an MBBS student at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England.
With her third gold medal at the nationals, Rafa is now two titles away from Dheema’s five.
The men’s final of the 63rd National Table Tennis Tournament was played earlier this evening. After a dramatic final set that dragged on to 18-16, Mohamed Shaffan won it 4-1 against Moosa Munsif Ahmed.
Rafa is also the mixed doubles champion this year, having won the final with her partner Moosa Munsif Ahmed, against Dheema and Shaffan
