Three weeks ago, he fell two points short of lifting the trophy at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship (CTTC) in his hometown New Delhi.

But on Sunday here, Payas Jain didn’t let history repeat itself. For the 21-year-old, the time since the CTTC has not been about chasing results. It has been about sticking to a process. That process bore fruit in emphatic fashion as Payas outplayed reigning National champion Manav Thakkar to win the season-opening National ranking tournament at The Sportz Hub.

“Nothing has changed,” Payas told The Hindu. “Before the Commonwealth Championship, I was trying to follow the process. Even after the Commonwealth Championship, I was just trying to follow the process. The Asian Games is coming up, my main goal is to win a medal for India there.”

What changed, however, was the manner in which Payas went about his business. Against one of the strongest defensive players in Indian men’s table tennis, he refused to be hurried. He stayed in the rallies, waited for the opportunity to turn, and passed Manav with the precision that had also been evident in his service receiving.

Everything, he insisted, was intentional. “Whether it was my body language, shot-making, strategy or tactics. The fact that everything was intentional reflected on the table. I know how Manav plays. He knows how I play. So, I was prepared for everything,” Payas said. “It was a great match. I actually played well and I was feeling very confident.”

That confidence grew as the final progressed. Payas sensed the rhythm after the opening game and, rather than attempting to force the issue, trusted his ability to remain in the exchanges until the opening appeared.

“I knew that Manav was not going to miss so soon and that it was going to be a tough fight,” he said. “I was just ready to be on the table irrespective of whether he was playing with speed or power. Whenever I was getting the chance, I was able to turn and pass.”

A member of India’s Asian Games squad, he put together a strong domestic season and finished second in the National rankings. He is closing in on a place in the world’s top 100. Payas is still awaiting inclusion in the Sports Authority of India’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme list of promising athletes. The Asian Games medal, though, remains the bigger target. Sunday’s crown was simply another step towards it.

Diminutive Sreeja Akula and bespectacled Manav Thakkar produced contrasting yet equally influential performances as India’s women and men marched into the team finals of the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex on Wednesday.

Both the teams outclassed England in their respective semifinals to set up title clashes against giant-killer Malaysia on Thursday.

The afternoon session began with the Indian women taking centre stage before a vocal group of schoolchildren cheering the home side. Sreeja, blending her long-pimpled backhand with explosive forehand topspin winners, barely broke sweat in dispatching Cheuk Wong to hand India the perfect start.

England responded through the experienced Tin-Tin Ho. Armed with her distinctive pen-hold grip and an uncanny ability to effectively use her backhand, Ho never allowed Yashaswini Ghorpade to settle into a rhythm and levelled the tie with a commanding win.

Sreeja sizzles

Teenager Syndrela Das restored India’s advantage with another composed display before Sreeja returned for the decisive fourth rubber. Her duel with Ho turned out to be the contest of the tie, featuring engrossing rallies and relentless changes in momentum. Sreeja held her nerve in the crunch moments, edging a gripping five-game battle to seal the place in the final.

Moments after the women exchanged handshakes, the men’s teams walked onto the show court. While Manush Shah’s opening rubber against Connor Green provided the early entertainment, it was Manav who earned widespread admiration.

Less than 24 hours after sustaining a deep cut to his forehead, against Australia, that required 13 stitches, Manav showed little sign of discomfort. Refusing to let the injury disrupt his rhythm, Manav produced another commanding display as India completed a 3-0 sweep without conceding a game.

The victory sets up a mouth-watering rematch against Malaysia, with the Indian men eager to avenge the surprise defeat they suffered in the league stage.

The results (semifinals): Women: India bt England 3-1 (Sreeja Akula bt Cheuk Lam Jasmin Wong 11-6, 11-3, 11-9; Yashaswini Ghorpade lost to Tin-Tin Ho 9-11, 6-11, 7-11; Syndrela Das bt Anna Green 11-7, 11-4, 11-9; Sreeja bt Ho 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11; 11-9). Malaysia bt Australia 3-2.

Men: India bt England 3-0 (Manush Shah bt Connor Green11-9, 11-9, 11-6; Manav Thakkar bt Joseph Hunter 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; Harmeet Desai bt Benjamin Piggott 11-5, 11-5, 11-5). Malaysia bt Singapore 3-1.