Alappuzha: Tamil Nadu’s Under-15 Youth Girls toppled second-seed Uttar Pradesh 3-2 in a thriller to enter the semi-finals of the UTT 84th Inter-State Sub-Junior and Cadet Championships at NC John Memorial Hall of YMCA, here today.
Delhi defeated Haryana 3-1, Maharashtra overcame Gujarat by the same margin, and West Bengal blanked out Assam 3-0 in the other quarterfinals to join the sixth-seed Tamil Nadu in the medal rounds, including the final, scheduled for the morrow.
Uttar Pradesh began with a bang as Avani Tripathi put her side 1-0 up when she defeated a shaky Sharvani Nagam 3-1. But M. Hanisini dismissed the threat of being in arrears with a fine display of her skills, combined with her ability to shift gears to outsmart Suhani Mahajan in straight games, expected to consolidate UP’s position.
But the two UP girls did the unthinkable, after 0-2 down in the doubles, to beat Hansini and her partner Reena Nandini Balaji in a come-from-behind tie.
With pressure mounting on the Tamil Nadu girls, Sharvani surprised Suhana in their reverse singles as the former, making her first tie’s loss good, beat the UP rival in straight games. Hansini drove the final nail in UP’s coffin as if on cue, with a 3-1 triumph in the deciding rubber against Avani.
Earlier, Kerala failed to cash in on their opportunity to lose 1-3 to Delhi. Kerala started well but succumbed to the pressure in the team event this morning. Opening for Kerala, Edwina Edward led 2-1 in the first rubber against Delhi’s Avisha Karmakar. But the Kerala girl, after dropping the second game on extended points, let her rival come back to take the fourth game and pull level. But in the decisive fifth game, Edwina kept her cool and won by minimal points to put Kerala 1-0 up with 11-9, 11-13, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 triumph.
Sayanika Maji of Delhi brought the score level after beating Tia Mundenkurian, the architect of their group win that foisted them to the second spot yesterday, 11-4, 11-8, 11-9. The Delhi pair proved too strong for the Mundenkurian siblings, Tia and Tisha, in doubles to win 11-9, 11-4, 13-11, the Kerala girls’ late resistance of no avail.
Avisha made amends in her reverse singles, beating Tia 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9 and booked Delhi’s berth in the quarters.
Team Results:
Quarterfinals: Delhi bt Haryana 3-1 (Avisha Karmakar bt Saanvi Dargan 8-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8, Sayanika Maji bt Gargi Dangi 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, Prisha Goel/Vanshika Mudgal lost to Saanvi/Manal Antar 10-12, 13-15, 8-11, Avisha Karmakar bt Gargi Dangi 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 4-11, 12-10); Maharashtra bt Gujarat 3-1 (Jennifer Varghese lost to Riya Jayswal 11-9, 7-11, 11-1, 7-11, 3-11, Bhoota Raina bt Pratha Pawar 11-7, 11-7, 11-3, Jennifer/Bhoota bt Riya/Pratha 11-2, 5-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, Jennifer Varghese bt Pratha Pawar 11-8, 11-8, 11-3); West Bengal bt Assam (3-0) Syndrela Das bt Prachi Mazumdar 12-10, 11-7, 11-4, Nandini Sahab t Gargi Saikia 11-5, 11-9, 11-4, Nandini/Syndrela bt Prachi/Gargi 11-7, 11-6, 11-6); Tamil Nadu bt Uttar Pradesh 3-2 (Sharvanai Nagam lost to Avani Tripathi 10-12, 6-11, 11-7, 4-11, M. Hansini bt Suhani Mahajan 11-7, 11-2, 12-10, Hansini/Reena Balaji lost to Suhani/Avani 11-4, 12-9, 7-11, 7-11, 8-11, Sharvani Nagam bt Suhani Mahajan 11-5, 11-9, 11-9, Hansini bt Avani Tripathi 11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7).
Pre-quarterfinals: Delhi bt Kerala 3-1; Haryana bt Andhra Pradesh 3-0; Gujarat bt Uttarakhand 3-0; Maharashtra bt J & K 3-0; Assam bt PSPBA 3-0; West Bengal bt Chandigarh 3-0; Tamil Nadu bt Punjab 3-0; Uttar Pradesh bt Karnataka 3-1.
