Karnataka players sparkle

Nikshep marches into quarterfinals; Rashmika exits

Karnataka players enjoyed a good day at the office as five out of six from their contingent made it to the quarterfinals of the AITA under-16 National series tennis championship at the KSLTA stadium courts and Mahila Seva Samaj courts here on Wednesday.

The one loss they suffered on the day was a surprise as Rashmika Rajan, who has been doing consistently well on the AITA circuit, bowed to Maharashtra’s Shivanil Swarup Ingle 2-6, 4-6 in their girls’ singles pre-quarterfinals encounter, while S Soha endured a tough battle before getting the better of Andhra Pradesh’s Dharana Mudaliar 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.

In the boys’ section though, Karnataka players put up an unbeaten show as all four of them -- BR Nikshep, Adil Kalyanpur, S Vignesh and Rishi Reddy -- advanced to the next stage.

Nikshep posted a facile 6-0, 6-1 win over Andhra Pradesh’s P Siddarth, Adil showed Uttarakhand’s Utkarsh Baradwaj the door with a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory, Vignesh warded off a stiff challenge from Madhya Pradesh’s Yash Yadav to come out on top 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 and qualifier Rishi eased past State-mate Basnet Siddarth.

Kalyanpur, the wildcard, who upset seventh seed Mayukh Rawat on 6-1, 6-1 on Tuesday, continued his dream run by bu ousting Utkarsh Baradwaj 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 to progress to the last eight stage of the competition.

While Nikshep has been the star attraction for Karnataka, another State-mate who prevailed was S Soha who battled past AP’s Dharana Mudaliar. After the latter had won the first set 2-6, Soha fought back to take the next two 6-1, 6-3 to advance into the next round.

Results (pre-quarterfinals): Boys’ singles: BR Nikshep (Kar) bt P Siddarth (AP) 6-0, 6-1; Adil Kalyanpur (Kar) bt Utkarsh Baradwaj (Utr) 7-6 (4), 6-1; S Vignesh (Kar) bt Yash Yadav (MP) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2; Dhruv Sunish (Mah) bt Ishaq Eqbal (WB) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; Rian D Pandole (Mah) bt Parikshit Somani (Asm) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Rishi Reddy (Kar) bt B Siddarth (Kar) 6-3, 6-2; PC Anirudh (AP) bt Taquddin Mohammed (AP) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; Sanil Jagitini (WB) bt Sumitpal Singh (J&K) 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.

Girls’ singles: S Soha (Kar) bt Dharana Mudaliar (AP) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3; Prinkle Singh (J&K) bt Sama Sathvika (AP) 6-3, 7-6 (6); Rutvik Shah (Guj) bt Sai Avanthika (TN) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2; Shivani Swarup Ingle (Mah) bt Rashmika Rajan (Kar) 6-2, 6-4; R Abinnka (TN) bt Rishika Ravi (TN) 6-3, 6-2; Sabhyata Nihalani (Del) bt Harsha Sai Challa (AP)  4-6, 7-5, 6-3; Snehal Mane (Mah) bt Lathika Premkumar (TN)  6-3, 6-2; Vaidehii Chaudhry (Guj) bt CS Praneetha (TN) 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-1.