Sarthak survives scare, enters semis

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29

Top seed Sarthak Gandhi overcame Shubh Negi in an intense battle to seal a spot in the boys’ U-18 semifinals in the Roots-AITA Challenge Series (CS7) National Ranking Championship at Zirakpur today.

Gandhi won the opening set 4-0, but Negi drew level with a 5-3 win in the second set. Gandhi, though, held his nerve and sealed the tie-breaker 13-11 to move into the last-four.

Third seed Dhairya Chadha humbled Arnav Malik 4-0 4-2, while Naresh Badgujar drubbed Manjoot Singh 4-0 4-0 in the quarterfinals. Amish Bansal registered a 4-1 4-1 win over Pankaj Kumar.

In the boys’ U-16 quarterfinals, Sukhwinder Singh stunned second seed Manan Kumar 4-1 4-2, while Aarush Sharma came from behind to beat Harwin Singh 1-4 5-3 (10-8). Navya Verma edged out Harmanjit Singh Kaloh 5-3 4-0 and Kartik Sunil Kumar prevailed 4-2 1-4 (10-8) over Arnav Bishnoi.

Naresh-Harmanjot in final

In the boys’ U-18 doubles competition, top seed pair of Naresh Badgujar and Harmanjot Singh defeated Avish Verma and Gaurav Kumar 5-4(2) 4-2 in the semifinals.

In the final, the duo will face Amish Bansal and Aarush Sharma, who thrashed Satvik Singla and Tarun Sharma 4-0 4-0.

Earlier, in the quarterfinals, Badgujar and Harmanjot downed Sukhwinder Singh and Preet Paul Singh 4-2 4-0, while Bansal and Aarush stunned second seeds Manjoot Singh and Vivek Shah 4-1 4-1.

Avish Verma and Gaurav Kumar overcame Anant Goyal and Dhairya Chadha 5-3 3-5 13-11 and Satvik and Tarun dispatched Ushaan Bhandari and Paras Verma 4-0 4-1.

Bhumi upsets Radhika

In the girls’ U-18 pre-quarterfinals, Bhumi Kakkar rallied from a set down to stun Radhika Vasudeva 0-4 4-2 (10-8), while Radha humbled Vanya Arora 4-2 4-1.

Vishita Jhorar blanked Khushleen Kaur 4-0 4-0. Pawandeep Kaur overcame Mrinalini Sharma 0-4 4-0 (10-8) and Mehakpreet Kaur edged past Simar Atwal 4-2 5-3 in the pre-quarters.

Third seed Harnoor Kaur drubbed Anusha Verma 4-0 4-0, while second seed Matreyi Phogat registered a 5-3 4-1 win over Shriya Singh. Ananya Dogra dumped Isheeta Midha 4-1 4-2.

Maitreyi motors on

Top seed Maitreyi Phogat tamed Isheeta Midha 4-1 4-1 to book a berth in the girls’ U-16 quarterfinals.

Sidhak Kaur humbled Simar Atwal 4-2 4-1, while Bhumi Kakkar downed Rubani Kaur 4-2 4-0. Third seed Vanya Arora drubbed Radha Sadhra 4-1 4-1.

Anandita Sharma prevailed 4-2 5-3 over Agrima Gandhi, while Ananya Dogra packed off Khushleen Kaur 4-1 4-1 in the pre-quarters. Anusha Verma registered an identical win over Mehakpreet Kaur and second seed Vishita Jhorar thrashed Gurmannat Kaur 4-0 4-0.

Results

Boys’ U-18 quarters: Dhairya Chadha bt Arnav Malik 4-0 4-2, Naresh Badgujar bt Manjoot Singh 4-0 4-0, Amish Bansal bt Pankaj Kumar 4-1 4-1, Sarthak Gandhi bt Shubh Negi 4-0 3-5 (13-11)

Boys’ U-16 quarters: Aarush Sharma bt Harwin Singh 1-4 5-3 (10-8), Sukhwinder Singh bt Manan Kumar 4-1 4-2, Navya Verma bt Harmanjit Singh Kaloh 5-3 4-0, Kartik Sunil Kumar bt Arnav Bishnoi 4-2 1-4 (10-8)

Boys’ U-18 doubles quarters: Naresh Badgujar/Harmanjot Singh bt Sukhwinder Singh/ Preet Paul Singh 4-2 4-0, Avish Verma/Gaurav Kumar bt Anant Goyal /Dhairya Chadha 5-3 3-5 13-11, Satvik Singla/Tarun Sharma bt Ushaan Bhandari/ Paras Verma 4-0 4-1, Aarush Sharma/Amish Bansal bt Manjoot Singh/Vivek Shah 4-1 4-1

Girls’ U-18 pre-quarters: Bhumi Kakkar bt Radhika Vasudeva 0-4 4-2 (10-8), Radha bt Vanya Arora 4-2 4-1, Vishita Jhorar bt Khushleen Kaur 4-0 4-0, Harnoor Kaur bt Anusha Verma 4-0 4-0, Pawandeep Kaur bt Mrinalini Sharma 0-4 4-0 (10-8), Mehakpreet Kaur bt Simar Atwal 4-2 5-3, Ananya Dogra bt Isheeta Midha 4-1 4-2, Matreyi Phogat bt Shriya Singh 5-3 4-1

Girls’s U-16 pre-quarters: Maitreyi Phogat bt Isheeta Midha 4-1 4-1, Sidhak Kaur bt Simar Atwal 4-2 4-1, Bhumi Kakkar bt Rubani Kaur 4-2 4-0, Vanya Arora bt Radha Sadhra 4-1 4-1, Ananya Dogra bt Khushleen Kaur 4-1 4-1