Gritty Challengers win

Badminton KBL:Flypower Warriors edge out favourites Aratt Fighters

A little later, Aratt Fighters, who beat K2 Smashers 4-1 on Saturday, squandered 2-0 advantage to go down to Flypower Warriors 2-3. Team Cane couldn’t capitalise on the advantage given to them by Mohit Kamat and Mahima Agarwal. Mohit proved his credentials as one of the top players in the State with a 21-7, 21-15 thumping of Rishiket Yeligar in a match that lasted just 30 minutes. Team Cane moved closer to pocketing the tie when Mahima outplayed Arsheen Syeda Saadath 21-14, 21-16 in the women’s singles encounter.

Challengers then took the first step of their stunning comeback, wining the mixed doubles. Sanjeeth and Sangeetha M defeated Sobin Soman and Harshita 23-21, 21-16, reducing the margin 2-1. Further drama was in store as Phalgun B S helped Challengers to level the tie, beating Goutham Bhat 21-17, 21-19 in the second men’s singles.

In the crucial men’s doubles, Challengers’ Guruprasad and Abhijeet got the better of Vineeth M and Sunil G 21-19, 21-14 signalling the end of marathon tie that lasted for two hours and 50 minutes.

Earlier, Mohit cruised in the first game, moving 5-0 ahead before stretching the lead 20-7 against Yeligar. Mohit took the first game when his opponent, who did all the running for that point returned long. Yeligar was expected to put a much better show in the second game. He surely did until the score read 4-6, but then he commited too many unforced errors to trail 4-11 at the break.

Couple of smashes interlaced with drop shots helped Mohit to reach within two points of victory. Though, Mohit allowed Yeligar to reduce the margin to 19-15, the former State champion was in total control of the proceedings. Mohit brought himself a match-point when his rival hit a forehand wide before the 24-year-old wrapped up the match with a powerful smash.

In the Aratt Fighters-Flypower Warriors tie, Rohan Castelino, who beat Rameshwar Mahapatra 20-22, 21-7, 21-11, and Jacqueline Rose Kunnath, who eased past Apeksha Nayak 21-13, 21-11, powered Fighters to 2-0 lead. But Ashwini Ponnappa and Prajesh Soman, who had a troubled knee, lost to SDS Krishna and Ashwathi 14-21, 20-22 in the mixed doubles as Warriors staged a fightback. Rajas Jawalkar overcame Kamaldeep Singh 19-21, 21-15, 21-13 to equal the scores 2-2. In the deciding men’s doubles match, Darshan and Dhruv paired up to outclass Naveen and Neville 21-6, 21-12.

Results: HB Challengers bt Team Cane Boutique 3-2 (Rishiket Yeligar lt to Mohit Kamat bt 7-21, 15-21; Arsheen Syeda Saadath lt to Mahima Agarwal14-21, 16-21; Sanjeeth/ Sangeetha M bt Sobin Soman/ Harshita 23-21, 21-16; Phalgun B S bt Goutham Bhat 21-17, 21-19; Guruprasad/ Abhijeet bt Vineeth M/ Sunil G 21-19, 21-14).

Flypower Warriors bt Aratt Fighters 3-2 (Rameshwar Mahapatra lt to Rohan Castelino 22-20, 7-21, 11-21; Apeksha Nayak lt to Jacqueline Rose Kunnath 13-21, 11-21; SDS Krishna/ Aswathi S bt Prajesh Soman/ Ashwini Ponnappa 21-14, 22-20; Rajas Jawalkar bt Kamaldeep Singh 19-21, 21-15, 21-13; Darshan/ Dhruv bt Naveen/ Neville 21-6, 21-12).