In the battle of brothers, Samir crowned king

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, April 10

The Verma brothers — Sourabh and Sameer — made history by becoming the first siblings to play the finals of the National Badminton Championship. It was elder brother Sourabh who took up the sport first, Sameer only followed him. But on Sunday afternoon the younger brother outplayed the elder one. Hailing from a middle-class family in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, Sourabh and Sameer’s father, Sudhir Verma, is a Grade II Assistant working with the Narmada Valley Development Authority. Mother Sangita is a housewife. Sameer now trains at the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, while Sourabh represents Air India.

On Sunday, the duo played a power-packed game in the final and it was Sameer who emerged as the better player in the end (21-16 21-16). Knowing well that Sameer’s strength lies in forecourt and netplay, Sourabh's gameplan was to push his younger brother to the back court. The senior Verma tried his bestt but Sameer read the plan well and stuck to his strength. Skillwise both the shuttlers were more or less equal but repeated unforced errors at crucial points let Sourabh down.

Sameer, 22, later said, “I am really happy to win the title. This win will give me confidence and encourage me to move on to the next level.”

Sourabh, the 2012 champion, said, “I tried hard, but I guess he knows my game well and came up with a good counter plan.”

Sourabh said there are no hard feelings as far as losing to his younger brother is concerned but added: “You don’t want to lose to anyone, be it your younger brother."

In 2004, Sourabh had won the Under-13 national title in Panchkula but could not replicate that Tricity success this time. “That year he did not win here but this time it was his turn," he said with a smile.

The 21-year-old had beaten unseeded Sourabh at the TATA Open and Bangladesh Open in the international circuit last December.

Thulasi has it easy

Puthenpurayil Chandrika Thulasi defeated Tanvi Lad (21-9, 21-13) is a one-sided match. Playing a controlled game Thulasi took a sizeable lead in the very first game. Lad tried to give a fight in the second game but Thualsi had figured her out and dictated the terms right from the beginning. The 2015 National Games gold medallist would have closed out the match with a much bigger margin had she not given away a couple of points towards the end.

The Kerala shuttler said, “I am very happy to win my first national singles title. I was expecting a tough contest in the final.” The 24-year-old said, “Till now I have been playing in domestic and low key international tournaments but now I will be aiming to do well in the international tournaments. However, the Thomas Cup next month is my immediate priority.”

Results (Final): (men's singles): Sameer Verma bt Sourabh Varma 21-16, 21-16; (men's doubles): Pranaav Jerry Chopra /Akshay Dewalkar bt Alwin Francis /Tarun K. 20-15 (retired); (women's singles): Thulasi PC bt Tanvi Lad 21-9, 21-13; (women's doubles): Pradnya Gadre /Sikki Reddy N bt Aparna Balan /Prajakta Sawant 22-20, 21-18; (mixed doubles): Arun Vishnu /Aparna Balan bt Pranaav Jerry Chopra /Sikki Reddy N 22-20, 22-20.