Rashein, Nimisha emerge champs

Tennis: AITA Championship Series: State players score easy victories in boys and girls under-18 title round

It was a stroll in the park for Samuel, who trounced his Karnataka mate Sagar Manjunath 6-2, 6-3 in a lop-sided final.

Local lass Nimisha too had an equally easy outing against State-mate AK Padmapriya, emerging a convincing 6-3, 6-3 winner. 

Nimisha won the title round match in straight sets to emerge champion.

In an all-Maharashtra battle for top honours in the boys’ under-16 category, Saurabh Dilip Patil survived a mid-match slump to quell a spirited challenge from Yash Deshpande. Patil won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

Saurabh, who took the first set with much ease lost the momentum in the second set. However, he came back strongly in the third to lift the title.

The corresponding crown in the girls’ section went to Tamil Nadu’s Neena Reddy, who had little difficulty in setting aside the challenge of Karnataka’s Preethi Gokhale 6-2, 6-2. 
Deshpande had more joy in store as the Maharashtra lad teamed up with State-mate Om Dalvi to lift the under-18 doubles title, trouncing Prem Singh and Manab Kumar Chakma 6-1, 6-1.

The Karnataka duo of UM Shalaka and Rachita Sarda won the girls’ under-18 doubles title after a gruelling 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 verdict against compatriots Preethi Ujjini and AK Padmapriya.

The girls’ under-16 title went to Neena Reddy of Tamil Nadu. Neena defeated Preethi Gokhale of Karnataka 6-2, 6-2 in the summit clash.

DH News Service

Results (all finals):

Boys: Under-18: Rashein Samuel bt Sagar Manjunath 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: Yash Deshpande/ Om Dalvi bt (Mah) bt Prem Singh/ Manab Kumar Chakma 6-1, 6-1.

Under-16: Saurabh Dilip Patil (Mah) bt Yash Deshpande (Mah) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

Girls: Under-18: Nimisha Mohan bt AK Padmapriya 6-3, 6-3.

Doubles: UM Shalaka/ Rachita Sarda bt Preethi Ujjini/ Padmapriya 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Under-16: Neena Reddy (Tamil Nadu) bt Preethi Gokhale (Kar) 6-2, 6-2.