Nikshep marches into semis

BR Nikshep held off a stiff challenge from Manav P before triumphing 7-5, 6-3 to storm into the boys’ under-18 semifinals at the KTPPA-MP Prakash memorial AITA Championship Series junior tennis tournament at the Topspin Tennis Academy courts here on Wednesday.

Nikshep was joined in the last-four stage by IB Akshay, Akhil Kanakaraj and VC Vashist after the three other semifinalists posted contrasting wins in their quarterfinal encounters.

In the boys’ under-16 category, Aditya Anant Gokhale eased into the semifinals with a facile 6-4, 6-1 win while the rest of the semifinalists -- Pranash Babu, Md Taquddin and Nihit Rawal -- endured a tougher path through to the next round.

In the girls’ under-18 section, Rashmika Rajan was in her elements as she routed Madhumita Meenakshi 6-3, 6-3 to make it to the semis. However, Rashmika had to fight off Manasi Reddy 1-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-0 in the under-16 quarterfinals.

Results (quarterfinals): Boys, under-18: BR Nikshep bt Manav P 7-5, 6-3; IB Akshay bt KS Chiranthan 6-2, 6-1; Akhil Kanakaraj bt Pranash Babu 7-5, 6-3; VC Vashist bt Arjun Ramakrishnan 6-2, 1-6, 6-2.

Under-16: Aditya Anant Gokhale bt S Vignesh 6-4, 6-1; Pranash Babu bt Amarnath Arora 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Md Taquddin bt Yash Yadav 7-5, 7-6 (7-4); Nihit Rawal bt Arjun Ramakrishnan 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Girls, under-18: Nisha Shenoy bt Saranya Nagpal 7-6 (7-5), 6-2; Pragati Natraj bt Nupur Umashankar 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), Rashmika Rajan bt Madhumita Meenakshi 6-3, 6-3; Moulika Ram bt Nandini Gupta 6-4, 6-1.

Under-16: Rashmika Rajan bt Manasi Reddy 1-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-0; Aarushi Thakkar bt Muskaan Ranjan 6-1, 6-1; Harsha Sai Chala bt Madhumita Meenakshi 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Abhinika bt Nikita Pinto 6-0, 6-7 (7-5), 6-3.