Ashika storms into title round
Local lass Ashika D Urs reached the girls’ under-14 final of the AITA Talent Series Junior tennis tournament at Raghuveer Tennis Centre courts here on Thursday.
Ashika outclassed seventh seed Fathima Juveria 6-2, 6-1 to set up a title clash with top seed Muskhan Ranjan, who defeated Prarthana Prasad 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, in the other semifinals.
Sixth seed Venkatachalam packed off top seed Rahul Shankar in the boys’ under-14 semifinals. Venkatachalam beat Rahul 7-5, 6-3 to set up a final date with eighth seed Varun Shenoy, who accounted for Vijay Rajashekar 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) in the other semifinals.
The top seed in the under-12 category Kiran Deva had no such qualms as he eased past S Vimal Raj 6-3, 6-2. Kiran will meet M D Shreyas, who outplayed Arjun Sriram 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
In the girls under-12 semifinals, third seed Megha Muthukumar humbled top seed Muskhan 6-3, 6-3 and she will take on Prathibha, who beat Fathima 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Results (semifinals): Boys: U-14: Venkatachalam bt Rahul Shankar 7-5, 6-3; Varun Shenoy bt Vijay Rajashekar 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(5).
U-12: Kiran Deva bt S Vimal Raj 6-3, 6-2; M D Shreyas bt Arjun Sriram 6-3, 6-2.
Girls: U-14: Muskhan Ranjan bt Prarthana Prasad 3-6, 6-2, 6-0; Ashika D Urs bt Fathima Juveria 6-2, 6-1. U-12: Megha Muthukumaran bt Muskhan Ranjan 6-3, 6-3; Prathibha bt Fathima Juveria 0-6, 6-3, 6-4.
