Bengaluru, Jan 14: The competition has grown much intense after all the top four seeds in the Men’s category marched into the semifinals of the Rs 2-lakh AITA Men’s and Women’s tournament hosted by Rohan Bopanna The Sports School Tennis Academy under the aegis of the KSLTA.
In the quarterfinals played at the RBTSSTA courts here on Thursday, top seed Nikki Poonacha was a 6-2, 6-4 winner over seventh seed Yash Yadav of Madhya Pradesh while second seed Prajwal S Dev of Karnataka brushed aside the challenge of Tamil Nadu’s Dheeraj Kodancha Srinivasan 6-2, 6-1. Third seed Suraj R Prabodh was made to sweat by Chandrashekar Anirudh before winning 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 6-1 while fourth seed Rishi Reddy beat Tamil Nadu’s Prithvi Sekhar in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
In the women’s section, fifth seed Pratibha Prasad Narayan of the host state suffered an upset at the hands of lesser fancied Sanjana Sirimalla of Telangana 1-6, 6-1, 1-6. Another local lass Sadiq Soha, seeded third survived a second set blip to see off Nidhi Chilumula 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-3. Pooja Ingale, who ousted the tournament’s top seed in the pre-quaterfinals ended her dream run losing to last week’s U-18 winner Reshma Maruri.
Meanwhile, the third seeded pair of Prithvi Sekhar and Peranamallur Vignesh lifted the men’s doubles trophy beating Bharath Nishok Kumaran and Kavin Masilamani 6-3, 6-2 while Sharmada Balu and Chilakalapudi Sravya Shivani overpowered Ishwari Anant Matere and Pooja Ingale 6-2, 6-0 to win the Women’s Doubles crown.
Results
Men’s Singles Quarterfinals
Nikki K Poonacha (1) (AP) bt Yadav Yash (7) (MP) 6-2, 6-4; Reddy Rishi (4) (KAR) bt Prithvi Sekhar (5) (TN) 6-2, 6-2; Suraj R Prabodh (3) (KAR) bt Chandrasekar Anirudh (6) (TS) 7-6(4), 6-7(3), 6-1; Prajwal S D Dev (2) (KAR) bt Dheeraj Kodancha Srinivasan (8) (TN) 6-2, 6-1;
Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:
Sanjana Sirimalla (TS) bt Prathiba Prasad Narayan (5) (KAR) 6-1, 1-6, 6-1; Samhitha Sai Chamarthi (2) (TN) bt Vanshita Pathania (7) (TN) 6-2, 6-3; Reshma Maruri (8) (KAR) bt Ingale Pooja (MAH) 6-4, 6-3; Sadiq Soha (3) (KAR) bt Nidhi Chilumula (6) (TS) 7-6(7), 0-6, 6-3
Men’s Doubles Final
Prithvi Sekhar (TN)/ Peranamallur Vignesh (TS) (3) bt Bharath Nishok Kumaran (TN) /Kavin Masilamani (TN) 6-3, 6-2.
Women’s Doubles Final
Sharmada Balu (KAR) / Chilakalapudi Sravya Shivani (TS) bt Ishwari Anant Matere (MAH) / Ingale Pooja (MAH) 6-2, 6-0.
Semifinal line-up
Men: Nikki K Poonacha (1) (AP) Vs. Suraj R Prabodh (3) (KAR); Prajwal S D Dev (2) (KAR) Vs. Reddy Rishi (4) (KAR)
Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:
Sanjana Sirimalla (TS) Vs. Samhitha Sai Chamarthi (2) (TN); Reshma Maruri (8) (KAR) Vs. Sadiq Soha (3) (KAR
