WRESTLING
Antim qualifies for semifinals; Jyoti, Radhika eliminated
World Championship bronze medallist Antim Panghal (53kg) and Asian champion Manisha Bhanwala (62kg) remained in bronze medal contention at the World Wrestling Championships in Zagreb on Wednesday.
Fourth-seeded Antim steamrollered Spain’s World junior silver medallist Carla Jaume Soler 10-0 in the pre-quarterfinals and beat 55kg Worlds silver medallist Chinese Zhang Jin 9-8 in the quarterfinals to set up a semis clash with World No.1 and Paris Olympics silver medallist Lucia Yepez.
With her all-round game, the Ecuadorian was too good for Antim as she grabbed a four-pointer amid explosive action in the first period. Antim pulled one back to trail 1-4 at the break.
Lucia extended her lead to 5-1 through a push-out.
Antim’s attempts to attack Lucia’s legs were foiled by the swift top seed.
The Indian, who received medical attention for her bleeding mouth in the second period, finally picked up two points with a last-second take down, but it was too little and came too late.
Sixth-seeded Manisha began with a 2-1 victory over Venezuela’s Astrid Chirinos before falling 0-8 to Asian silver medallist Kim Ok Ju in the last eight. She qualified for the repechage after the North Korean entered the final.
Priya Malik (76kg) pinned Italian Enrica Einaldi in a repechage fight to move into the bronze medal match.
Two Indians exited early. Radhika (68kg) beat Laura Godino by fall, but tasted a 0-11 defeat against the USA’s Kennedy Blades. Jyoti Berwal (72kg) was pinned by Mongolian Bolortungalag Zorgit.
-Y. B. Sarangi
GOLF
Hero Women’s Indian Open to begin on October 9; tournament to have enhanced prize money
The 17th Hero Women’s Indian Open golf tournament will have an enhanced prize purse of $500,000 and will yet again be hosted at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, from October 9 to 12.
The champion will get $75,000.
Some of the leading players on the Ladies European Tour (LET), including the defending champion Liz Young, are scheduled to compete in the tournament.
The current LET Order of Merit leader, Mimi Rhodes, and others like Chiara Tamhurlini, Trichat Cheeglab, Alice Hewson, Shannon Tan, Darcey Hall and Sara Kouskova are scheduled to make the tournament lively.
With the entries still open, the organisers expect more strong players to join the event.
The best of Indian women will be in action, led by Diksha Dagar.
“The Hero Women’s Indian Open reflects our strong commitment to encourage sport and promote women’s participation. Since 2010, we have supported this tournament and helped strengthen women’s golf in India. With $500,000 prize money this year, we aim to attract top international talent and to inspire more women to take up the sport,” said the Executive Vice President of Hero MotoCorp, Sanjay Bhan.
Thanking the Hero Group for the strong support for women’s golf over the years, the president of Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI), Kavita Singh, expressed happiness about working with the LET.
“The partnership with LET gets stronger with each passing year. It ensures that the Hero Women’s Indian Open continues to rise in stature. We are sure that our continuing association with them will be a key factor in the growth of women’s golf in India,” said Kavita.
The CEO of LET, Alexandra Armas, expressed pride about the long-standing partnership with India.
“The WGAI continues to inspire generations of female golfers across the country. We are excited to work with our long-term partners in India,” said Alexandra.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Kartik Singh the lone leader on Day 1 of Indian Golf Premier League
Kartik Singh stole the show on a day of heavy rain and interruption of play to emerge as the sole leader with a four-under 68 on the opening day of the IGPL golf tournament at the Jaypee Greens on Wednesday.
Kartik was 2-under after 11 holes when the game had to be stopped for nearly three hours. On resumption, he continued strongly to be five under after the 17th hole.
There was a lot of drama on the 18th, and the resultant bogey reduced the 16-year-old Kartik’s lead over Tushar Pannu, Veer Ganapathy and I Aalaap, who were all one shot behind him.
Kartik Sharma and Karandeep Kochhar were 2-under on 70.
“On the 18th, I went into the rough and then into the bunker. I left my par putt short to about 12 feet and missed. Overall, I played quite well in the conditions,” said Kartik.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Diksha returns to action after a break as seven Indians play in La Sella
India’s Diksha Dagar will resume her quest for a first title of the season when she returns to action at the Euro 1 million La Sella Open after a short break.
Diksha, who took a break ahead of the busy closing part of the season, will be in the field alongside six other Indians Pranavi Urs, Tvesa Malik, rookie Avani Prashanth, Vani Kapoor, Hitaashee Bakshi and Ridhima Dilawari, playing on an invitation.
– PTI
TENNIS
Zeel Desai finds form to defeat Sahira Singh
Top seed Zeel Desai overcame a sluggish start to beat the talented Sahira Singh 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project, Baliawas, on Wednesday.
Having negotiated two strong players in the qualifying event in Sohini Mohanty and Aahan, the 18-year-old Sahira could get into her rhythm and play her fluent athletic game.
In contrast, Zeel has been traveling in the international circuit and handling different conditions and varied opponents around the world. She had to regroup her game amidst the gloom of the rain bearing clouds to edge past Sahira in the entertaining contest.
Zeel Desai overcame a slow start to defeat Sahira Singh.
| Photo Credit:
Kamesh Srinivasan
Zeel Desai overcame a slow start to defeat Sahira Singh.
| Photo Credit:
Kamesh Srinivasan
Zeel will play Anna Sedysheva in the pre-quarterfinals.
Akanksha NItture, Shruti Ahlawat and Pooja Ingale were the other Indians to progress into the second round. Pooja had to play with patience to tame qualifier Mirudhula Palanivel in three sets.
Sandeepti Singh Rao was as gutsy as always in putting up a strong fight against Maria Mikhailova, but the Russian handled the match with considerable craft and sound temperament to pull through in straight sets.
The results
Singles (first round): Zeel Desai bt. Sahira Singh 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Anna Sedysheva bt. Apurva Vemuri 6-3, 6-3; Eva Marie Desvignes (Sgp) bt. Mahika Khanna 6-1, 7-5; Akanksha Nitture bt. Prathyusha Rachapudi
7-6(2), 6-3; Maria Mikhailova bt. Sandeepti Singh Rao 7-5, 6-3; Carolann Delaunay (Cal) bt. Aditi Rawat 6-3, 6-4; Vlada Mincheva bt. Laalitya Klaluri 6-3, 6-2; Jiho Shin (Kor) bt. Janani Ramesh 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-1; Shruti Ahlawat bt. Diva Bhatia 6-1, 6-1; Sofia Suslova bt. Elena Jamshidi (Den) 7-6(5) (retired); Paola Lopez (USA) bt. Jeetesh Kumari 6-4, 6-2; Pooja Ingale bt Mirudhula Palanivel 6-2, 1-6, 6-2.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Akanksha Nitture & Soha Sadiq bt. Eva Marie Desvignes (Sgp) & Elsa Wan (Mas) 7-5, 7-5; Anna Sedysheva & Sofia Suslova bt. Ishwari Matere & Yashaswini Panwar 6-2, 4-6, [10-3];
Sravya Shivani & Pranjala Yadlapalli bt. Shihomi Leong (Mas) & Jiho Shin (Kor) 6-4, 5-7, [10-7]; Jennifer Luikham & Bela Tamhankar bt. Paavanii Paathak & Sonal Patil 6-2, 6-4.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Karteek Reddy, Matsuda quarterfinals of Columbus Challenger; Ankita Raina out of W35 Shenyang 2025
Sai Karteek Reddy, in partnership with Ryuki Matsuda of Japan, beat Courtney John Lock and Tristan McCormick 6-4, 6-4 in the doubles of the pre-quarterfinals of the $100,000 Columbus Challenger in Columbus, USA.
The results:
€181,250 Challenger, Saint-Tropez, France: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Trey Hilderbrand & Mac Kiger (USA) bt Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan & Jakub Paul (Sui) 6-3, 6-0.
$100,000 Challenger, Columbus, USA: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Sai Karteek Reddy & Ryuki Matsuda (Jpn) bt Courtney John Lock (Zim) & Tristan McCormick (USA) 6-4, 6-4.
$15,000 ITF men, Monastir, Tunisia: Singles (first round): Jack Mcgary (USA) bt Naishik Reddy 6-2, 6-2; Alexandre Aubriot (Fra) bt Darsh Agarwal 6-0, 6-0; Toufik Sahtali (Alg) bt Manas Dhamne 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Manas Dhamne & Jaishnav Shinde bt Amir Omarkhanov (Kaz) & Samuele Seghetti (Ita) 6-3, 3-6, [10-6]; Chirag Duhan & Ewen Lumsden (GBR) bt Darsh Agarwal & Naishik Reddy 6-1, 6-2.
€100,000 WTA, Tolentino, Italy: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Ekaterine Gorgodze (Geo) & Darja Semenistaja (Lat) bt Alexandra Osborne (Aus) & Vasanti Shinde 6-2, 6-4.
$30,000 ITF women, Shenyang, China: Singles (first round): Mei Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Ankita Raina 6-2, 5-7, 6-1.
$15,000 ITF women, Heraklion, Greece: Singles (first round): Tanisha Kashyap bt Baylen Brown (USA) 6-3, 6-2.
$15,000 ITF women, Hurghada, Egypt: Singles (first round): Sandra Samir (Egy) bt Abhinaya Balaji 6-1, 6-0.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Saoirse Breen (Fij) & Ashmitha Easwaramurthi bt Aiyana Paes (GBR) & Saumrita Verma 6-2, 6-4; Lamis Aziz (Egy) & Anja Wildgruber (Ger) bt Sharanya Shetty & Sailly Thakkar 6-3, 6-1.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Published on Sep 17, 2025
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com