Indian sports wrap, September 24: Vishnu, Prajwal, Rashmikaa top draws in National tennis championship

TENNIS

Vishnu, Prajwal, Rashmikaa top draws in National Tennis Championship

Multiple Asian Games medallist Vishnu Vardhan, top seed Prajwal Dev and defending champion Rashmikaa S Bhamidipaty will headline the 29th Open National Tennis Championship at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi from September 28-October 12.

The other top names include former India No. 2 Riya Bhatia. Apart from the senior category, the tournament will have age-group sections in U-18, U-16 and U-14 for boys and girls.

The tournament carries a total prize purse of Rs 21.55 lakh and kit allowance in the junior categories.

Chairman and senior managing director of DCM Shriram Ltd Ajay S Shriram announced Rs 25,000 scholarships to the winners and runners-up of the U16 and U14 singles events to support the emerging young talents.

“Over the years, we’ve seen many players build successful careers as a result, highlighting the tournament’s increasing prominence,” said Shriram.

“I wish all the players the best of luck and encourage them to fully seize this opportunity to showcase their skills.”

-PTI

Fenesta National tennis championship: Special prize to be awarded to U14, U16 champions

The DCM Shriram group that has been hosting the Fenesta National tennis championship, a fortnight long tennis fiesta in the Capital, has extended its support further by announcing a special prize of Rs.25,000 each to the champion boys and girls in the singles event of the under-14 and under-16 section.

The tournament offers more than 21 lakh rupees in prize money and scholarship, with the men’s and women’s singles champions receiving an equal prize of Rs.3,00,000.

Former champions Vishnu Vardhan and Riya Bhatia, apart from the current leading players S.D. Prajwal Dev and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty are scheduled to compete in the tournament, to be played at the DLTA Complex from September 28.

“We are dedicated to fostering the growth of Indian tennis and providing opportunities for the country’s talent through this tournament. Over the years, we have seen many players build successful career, highlighting the tournament’s increasing prominence,” said Ajay Shriram, the Chairman and Senior Managing Director of DCM Shriram Limited.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

AITA ranking tournament: Shubh Negi makes comeback to defeat Amrutjay Mohanty in pre-quarters

Shubh Negi overcame an indifferent start to knock out Amrutjay Mohanty 0-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the men’s pre-quarterfinals of the Rs.2,00,000 AITA ranking tennis tournament at the CLTA Complex on Tuesday.

The results (pre-quarterfinals):

Men: Debasish Sahoo bt Amtya Ohlyan 6-1, 6-0; Omar Sumer bt Nishith Naveen 7-5, 6-0; Prasad Ingale bt Yuvraj Soni 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4; Atharva Sharma bt Rakshak Taur 7-5, 6-4; Shanker Heisnam bt Yash Chaurasia 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Jagmeet Singh bt Upanishad Bhardwaj 6-3, 6-2; Sandesh Kurale bt Sarthak Gulati 6-2, 6-0; Shubh Negi bt Amrutjay Mohanty 0-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Women: Sara Yadav bt Mrinalini Sharma 6-0, 6-0; Mahika Khanna bt Himaanshika Singh 6-4, 5-7, -1; Sailly Thakkar bt Shagun Kumari 6-1, 4-6, 6-3; Samriti Punyani bt Rutuparna Choudhary 6-4, 3-6 (retired); Bhumika Dahiya bt Ananya Yadav 6-4, 7-6(4); Adithi Are bt K.A. Aadirai 6-4, 7-6(1); Snigdha Patibandla bt Anjali Dalal 6-2, 6-1; Pooja Ingale bt Jostna Madane 6-1, 6-3.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

GOLF

Veer Ahlawat, Manu Gandas to lead Indian challenge at Telangana Golconda Masters 2024

Telangana Golconda Masters 2024 golf championship will be held at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) from September 26 to 29 with a prize money of Rs one crore.

The Pro-Am event will be held on September 25.

The tournament will see 126 golfers (123 professionals and three amateurs) in action.

The top Indian professionals in the fray include TATA Steel PGTI Ranking leader Veer Ahlawat, Manu Gandas, Udayan Mane, Shaurya Binu and Karan Pratap Singh, to name a few.

The foreign challenge will be led by Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek; Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain, Badal Hossain, Md Akbar Hossain; Sri Lankans N Thangaraja, K Prabagaran, Andorra’s Kevin Esteve Rigaill; Nepal’s Subash Tamang; Canada’s Sukhraj Singh Gill; South Korea’s Si In Kim; Japan’s Makoto Iwasaki and American Dominic Piccirillo.

The local challenge will be led by Hyderabad-based players including professionals Mohd Azhar, Milind Soni and Hardik S Chawda as well as amateurs Sankeerth Nidadavolu, Vilok Gadwal and Adit Ahluwalia.

Jupally Krishna Rao, Minister for Prohibition & Excise, Tourism & Culture and Archaeology, Government of Telangana, said they were delighted to be associated with the championship which provided a great platform to promote golf tourism in the State.

B.V.K. Raju, President, Hyderabad Golf Association, said, they were happy to host the 10th edition of the championship.

“With the historic setting and excellent course conditions, we are sure to see a very exciting competition,” he said.

-V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

Hitaashee looks to make up for last leg setback, Vidhatri seeks 4th win

Hitaashee Bakshi, who lost in a play-off last week, will seek to it make up in the 13th leg of Hero WPGT which begins at the Golden Greens Golf Club on Wednesday.

A double winner this season, Hitaashee lost to Vani Kapoor at the DLF Golf and Country Club in the previous week.

At the same time, Vidhatri Urs, the three time winner this season, is seeking a fourth title after finishing third last week.

Other top contenders include Gaurika Bishnoi, Ridhima Dilawari, Amandeep Drall, Neha Tripathi, Sneha Singh, Shweta Mansingh and Seher Atwal.

The Rs.14-lakh event will see 41 players, including five amateurs, in action.

The event assumes importance as this is the last one ahead of the flagship event, the Hero Women’s Indian Open (HWIO) to be held next month. The Hero Women’s Indian Open is the only Ladies European Tour event in the region.

The event will see a battle for the Hero Order of Merit honours between Hitaashee, the current leader, and Sneha Singh, the winner in 2023.

Close behind them is Amandeep Drall, who seeks to re-discover her form that saw her finish runner-up at the HWIO in 2022.

Hitaashee and Sneha have won twice each this season, while Amandeep has won once. Only Vidhatri has three wins in the 12 legs held so far.

Gaurika Bishnoi and Anvitha Narender are among the other winners from this season, who will be seen in action this week.

The other amateurs are Nandita Kumar, Janneya Dasanniee, Alysha Dutt and Prarthana Khanna.

-PTI

CHESS

Olympiad gold medallist Harika returns home to warm reception

Harika’s coach N. V. S. Rama Raju, husband Karteek Chandra and TSCA president K.S. Prasad welcoming the Olympiad gold medallist in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Dronavalli Harika, member of the Indian women’s team which won a historic gold in the just-concluded Chess Olympiad in Hungary, returned home to a warm reception from family members and Telangana State chess Association officials at the Hyderabad Airport.

“It was a great feeling to win the Olympiad gold. It means so much to all of us and of course should only encourage more and more boys and girls to take up chess,” Harika said.

Harika, who was the seniormost in the women’s squad, said that her next target would be to do well in next month’s Global Chess League.

Harika’s husband Karteek Chandra and her coach-cum-mentor N.V.S. Rama Raju along with TSCA President K.S. Prasad were among those who were present.

-V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

BRIDGE

Sunderram, Sridharan win Open Pairs Gold event at HCL International bridge championship

Team Wham, the champions of Team of Four Gold event in the HCL International bridge championship in Delhi. Photo
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The team of S Sunderram and P Sridharan won the Open Pairs Gold event and bagged Rs.12.8 lakh prize in the $325,000 HCL International bridge championship.

The Open pairs silver event was won by Vinod Kumar Sow and Sanjit Dey. The IMP pairs event was won by T.V. Ramani and Subhash Ramani.

Earlier, the biggest purse of 44 lakh rupees was bagged by Team Wham from Australia and New Zealand that won the Naresh Tandan Trophy in the Team of Four Gold event.

The Mohini Tandan trophy for the Team of Four Silver event was won by RSCS.

“I see that several young players have joined the tournament this year. The future of Bridge in India relies on nurturing talent at the right time, and international championships like this provide young players with a valuable opportunity to test their skill against some of the world’s best,” said Kiran Nadar, the Chairperson of the organising committee, who has hosted the event for 21 seasons so far.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

FOOTBALL

Already qualified for semifinals, India beats Maldives 3-0 in SAFF U17 Championships

Second-half substitute Hemneichung Lunkim struck a brace as a dominant India blanked Maldives 3-0 to continue its winning streak at the SAFF U17 Championships here on Tuesday.

After Samson Ahongshangbam gave India the lead in the 14th minute, Lunkim scored in the 74th and 89th minute in the second and final Group A match at the Changlimithang Stadium.

Having already qualified for the semifinals after its 1-0 victory over Bangladesh in the three-team group, India emerged as Group A winner with six points.

Bangladesh also made the last-four stage from this group as the runner-up side.

India will now face the runner-up team from Group B (Bhutan, Pakistan or Nepal) in the first semifinal on September 28.

Samson opened the scoring with a spectacular diving header, perfectly connecting a cross from Manbhakupar Malngiang from the right flank.

In the second half, substitute Lunkim doubled India’s lead in the 74th minute, finishing decisively after Maldives custodian Hassan Nasir fumbled to collect a shot.

Lunkim was the star of the day as he scored his second goal with a fine long-ranger in the 89th minute that crashed against the net.

As part of his plan to rotate players, the Blue Colts’ head coach Ishfaq Ahmed made three changes from the starting eleven that played against Bangladesh and brought in Karish Soram, Rishi Singh and Malngianng.

-Team Sportstar

Kerala Super League: Calicut plays out 2-2 draw against Thrissur

Calicut FC moved to the top table of the Super League Kerala on Tuesday night, but it shouldn’t be too happy considering it conceded two goals in injury time from Thrissur Magic on Tuesday.

Calicut had looked well placed for a comfortable win, but had to settle for a 2-2 draw in the end. The host would be rueing particularly the first goal it conceded, as the goalkeeper Vishal Joon failed to collect the free-kick properly from Marcelo Toscano and Ueleber Silva Gomes made full use of that.

Some six minutes later, Lucas Goes found the equaliser with a header following a corner-kick from Toscano. The Thrissur team thus managed to get its second point from the league.

The Calicut men are on six points, though it should have been eight. They went ahead four minutes into the second half.

Gani Nigam duped the defence and gave an excellent pass into the box. It was received by Brito, who got past a crowd of defenders and shot at the goalkeeper and Muhammed Riyas tapped in the deflection.

P.M. Britto doubled the lead heading in the superb cross from right by K. Abhiram.

-Team Sportstar