NAGPUR: Making a comeback after an opening of more than a 12 months, Sourabh Kerhalkar stormed into the guys’ doubles final within the first Maharashtra Senior State Selection match at Nanded on Saturday.
The penultimate day of the 4-day tourney changed into ruled via the city shuttlers as they made it to the finals of all the 3 events of the doubles category.
Sourabh Kerhalkar, who will flip 20 on Sunday, emerged because of the most sudden packet of the season’s first country senior tourney. Playing an aggressive event after an extended gap, Sourabh returned to the scene with a bang.
The crack aggregate of Sourabh and Ajinkya Patharkar of Nashik taken aback pinnacle seeds Ajeet Kumbhar and Narendra Patil of Pune 21-15, 19-21, 21-13 in an exciting guys’ doubles semifinal.
In a match which lasted for forty-four mins, Sourabh, who represented India in the World Junior Badminton Championship in 2017, displayed his powerful smashes to topple top seeds.
Earlier in the quarterfinal, unseeded Sourabh and Ajinkya edged beyond Gaurav Rege (Mumbai Suburban) and Prashant Bahati (Thane) 21-17, 22-20 in 35 mins.
“I turned into out of badminton scene for some time. I began practicing just a week prior to this match. Actually, it become my companion Ajinkya (Nashik) who recommended me to play. I trained beneath my train Ajay Dayal for few days before leaving for Nanded. I want to celebrate my birthday the next day with the winner’s trophy in my hands,” a jubilant Sourabh informed TOI from Nanded.
In the ladies’ section, Rashi Lambe and Mrunmayi Saoji stamped their authority. Rashi turned into the maximum surprising and displayed her versatility.
She entered the combined doubles very last along with her Mumbai accomplice Akshan Shetty with a difficult-fought win over Pratik Ranade and Akshaya Warang 21-16, 19-21, 21-18 within the semifinal.
The 2nd seeds will now clash with pinnacle seeds Deep Rambhiya and Pooja Devlekar of Mumbai for the identity on Sunday.
Eighteen-year-antique Rashi additionally dazzled in the women’s singles. Rashi went down fighting against Purva Barve 11-21, 20-22 within the semis in half of an hour.
Earlier within the quarters, Rashi greatly surprised second seed and her town counterpart Mrunmayi Saoji in 3 games. Mrunmayi, but, made it to the girls’s doubles very last together with her Pune associate Manasi Gadgil.
Top seeds Mrunmayi and Manasi trounced Aditi Kale and Kalyani Limaye in directly video games. The Nagpur-Pune pair will face Pooja Devlekar and Riya Arolkar within the final.
NAGPUR RESULTS
Semifinals: Women’s singles: Rashi Lambe lost to Purva Barve 11-21, 20-22; Men’s doubles: Sourabh Kerhalkar-Ajinkya Patharkar bt 1-Ajeet Kumbhar-Narendra Patil 21-15, 19-21, 21-13; Women’s doubles: 1-Mrunmayi Saoji-Manasi Gadgil bt Aditi Kale-Kalyani Limaye 21-12, 21-15; Mixed doubles: 2-Akshan Shetty-Rashi Lambe bt Pratik Ranade-Akshaya Warang 21-16, 19-21, 21-18.
Quarterfinals: Women’s singles: Rashi Lambe bt 2-Mrunmayi Saoji 21-17, 13-21, 21-13; Men’s doubles: Sourabh Kerhalkar-Ajinkya Patharkar bt Gaurav Rege-Prashant Bahatre 21-17, 22-20; Gaurav Mithe-Nihar Kelkar misplaced to 1-Ajeet Kumbhar-Narendra Patil 18-21, 21-19, nine-21; Mixed doubles: 2-Akshan Shetty-Rashi Lambe bt Ajeet Kumbhar-Aditi Kale 21-14, 21-10; Women’s doubles: 1-Mrunmayi Saoji-Manasi Gadgil walkover Shreya Bahadkar-Sumitra Hangargekar; Palak Thakkar-Shubhangi Majumder misplaced to two-Mrunal Upadhye-Sanashree Dhamdhere 21-23, thirteen-21.
HYDERABAD: N Pranauv Ram of Telangana State, Navya Kanderi of Andhra Pradesh and Unnati Hooda of Haryana are in line for a grand double at the All-India Sub-junior (U-13) Ranking Badminton Tournament at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy right here on Saturday.
Ram reached the finals inside the boys singles and doubles classes whilst Navya and Unnati Hooda made it to the identity spherical inside the ladies singles and doubles.
