Bangalore: Karnataka boys B.R. Nikshep and Vignesh Subramanium will clash in the U-16 semifinals of the RT Narayan Memorial tennis championships at the KSLTA courts on Friday.
Vignesh, the 12th seed was way too good for the unseeded Dhruv Sunish of Maharashtra, winning 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinals to set up a top clash with statemate Nikshep.
In the other semis, ninth seed Rian Pandole of Maharashtra will play against second seed Sanil Jagitiani of West Bengal. Pandole bested the challenge from Karnataka’s Rishi Reddy, prevailing in three sets in a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Rishi, who was all at sea in the first set, came into his own in the second. Showing his penchant for a comeback, Rishi fought back to level 4-all.
The Karnataka player then won the next two games in a row following a controversial call in the ninth game which the Maharashtra player hotly contested, to set the stage for the decider.
However, Pandole recouped quickly and stormed off to a huge lead in the third set, taking an unassailable 5-1 lead with breaks in the fourth and seventh game.
Though Rishi managed a break in the seventh, Pandole finished the
match in the eighth.
In girls, top seed Snehal Mane defeated Karnataka’s S. Soha 6-3, 7-5 in the quarter-finals.
Leading 5-2 in the second set, Snehal l eased off on the pedal, which saw Soha rally and level at 5all. But Snehal recovered to close out the set and match.
Results: Boy (Q/fs): Vignesh S.(Kar) bt Dhrv Sunish (Mah) 6-3, 6-4; Rian D.Pandole (Mah) bt Rishi Reddy (Kar) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.
Girls:Snehal Mane (Mah) bt S.Soha (Kar ) 6-3, 7-5 ; Vaidehi C. (Guj) bt Prinkle Singh (J&K) 6-3, 6-3.
Doubles (final): Boys: B.R.Niksehp (Kar) / Yash Yadav (MP) bt Parikshit Somani (Asm) / Sanil Jagitian (WB) 6-1, 6-7 (3) , 10-6-super tie-break.
Girls: R. Abhinikka / R. Sai Avanthika (TN) bt Harsha Sai Challa (AP) / C.S. Praneetha (TN) 6-3, 6-1.
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