JOIN USDouble for Karthik, Maithreyi
Focussed and determined, the 20-year-old Bangalorean hardly put a foot wrong as he swept past his opponents to wear the men’s and Youth boys’ crowns at the Cantonment Rail Club.
Karthik, a final year Computer Science student at BMS College, first outsmarted Canara Bank’s Navneeth AR 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7 in the Youth boys’ final before completing his grand double with a 11-5, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 destruction of South Western Railway’s Sagairaj in the men’s title clash.
Sports Authority of India’s Madhuri R bounced back from an opening game loss to defeat Arpitha BS 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 for the women’s title while BTTA’s Maithreyi Bailoor added the Youth girls’ title to the Junior crown she won on Monday with a commanding 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 victory over Ridhi Rohith of PTTA.
The star of the day, however, was Karthik. A losing quarterfinallist at the recently held South Zone championships here, Karthik’s game was as fiery as the flame tattoo on his right forearm.
Putting his strong forehand to great effect, Karthik hardly allowed Sagairaj and Navneeth to settle in. Consequently, both the losers were forced to play deep, most often chasing smashes repeatedly fired at them.
On the few occasions when Karthik was made to do the running, he brought his defensive skills to the fore, forcing his opponents into unforced errors.
While Navneeth at least managed to steal two games off Karthik with sporadic traces of brilliance, Sagairaj was completely lost for ideas in the lop-sided final.
Maithreyi, who outclassed Arpitha 4-0 in the Junior girls’ final on Monday, once again oozed confidence, this time against Ridhi in the Youth girls’ final. Having successfully come through a closely-contested opening game, Maithreyi stepped on the accelerator to emerge victorious in quick time.
Results: Men, final: Karthik CP (BNM) bt Sagairaj (SWR) 11-5, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4.
Semifinals: Sagairaj bt Jaideep Das (SWR) 6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6; CP Karthik bt Shreyal K Telang (IOCL) 11-5, 14-12, 11-7, 11-5.
Women, final: Madhuri R (SAI) bt Arpitha BS (SBMJC) 5-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8.
Semifinals: Arpitha BS bt Maithreyi Bailoor (BTTA) 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8; Madhuri R bt Soumya Urs (HTTA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4.
Youth: Boys, final: Karthik CP bt Navneeth AR (Canara Bank) 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7.
Semifinals: Navneeth AR bt Akshaya Mahunta (HTTA) 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7; Karthik CP bt Shreyal K Telang (IOCL) 11-5, 9 -11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.
Girls, final: Maithreyi Bailoor (BTTA) bt Ridhi Rohith (PTTA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.
Semifinals: Maithreyi B bt Madhuri R (SAI) 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7; Ridhi R bt Arpita BS (SBMJC) 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10.