All-India Tennis Association Championship: Hitesh reigns supreme

Our Sports Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 12

Local lad Hitesh Chauhan wrapped up his matches in the Under 12 and 14 years categories to storm into the semifinals on the sixth and penultimate day of the All India Tennis Association Championship Series Tennis Tournament for Boys and Girls, being held at the Ace Academy at New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, on Thursday.

In the boys’ U-14 quarterfinal, Hitesh (10), a trainee of the Ace Academy caused a flutter as he outwitted third seed Debasis Sahoo, also from Punjab in a marathon match that lasted over two hours and assured himself a place in the semifinal. Hitesh warded off stiff resistance in the opening set before winning it 6-4. In the next game, he appeared to lose momentum as Debasis won it easily 6-2 to level the score.

In the deciding game, it was a pitched fight with both the players going all out to rattle each other. After a ding-dong battle, Hitesh managed to overpower his spirited opponent 7-6 (10), which also fetched him the match and a place in the last fourth stage.

Earlier in the day, Hitesh outperformed his state mate Trishan Dhawan in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 to cement his place in the U-12 semifinals. The day witnessed another upset in the boys’ U-12 section when top seed Debasis Sahoo from Punjab lost to unseeded Victor Mohanram of Haryana in three sets. Victor won the verdict 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4.

Today’s results for U-12, U-14 quarterfinals

• Boys’ singles (U-14): Rohan (WB) beat Abhay Yuvraj (Haryana) 6-4, 6-1; Abhay Chhabra (Delhi) beat Aryan Arora (Punjab) 6-4, 7-6 (4); Navya Verma (Punjab) beat Sehajpreet (Punjab) 6-4, 6-4.
• Girls’ singles (U-14): Chandani (Gujarat) beat Tulsa (WB) 6-1, 6-0; Dhvani Kavad (Gujarat) beat Seerat Kaur (Punjab) 6-0, 6-0; Inayat (Punjab) beat Pratishta  (Punjab) 6-0, 6-2; Ishita (Assam) beat Odrija (Assam) 6-4, 6-1.
• Boys’ singles (U-12): Victor (Haryana) beat Debasis (Punjab) 6-7 (4), 6-4 and 6-4; Hemang Kavad (Gujarat) beat Neel Joglekar (Maharashtra) 7-6 (4), 6-1; Hitesh (Punjab) beat Trishan (Punjab) 6-2, 6-2; Rohan (WB) beat Pranay Vadhera (Punjab) 6-0, 6-4.
• Girls’ singles (U-12): Dhvani Kavad (Gujarat) got walkover against Hargunjit Kaur (Punjab); Inayat Roy (Punjab) beat Naureen Bhardwaj (Punjab) 6-1, 6-1 and Sahira Singh (Punjab) beat Pratishta Saini (Punjab) 6-0, 6-0.