Abhinn, Laxmi in line for another title

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, JAN. 7. Abhinn Shyam Gupta and P.V.V. Laxmi have given themselves a chance of a second straight all-India title, entering the singles finals at the NSCI Senior Grand Prix all- India prize money badminton here today. Gupta and Laxmi won the singles titles at the V.V. Natu Memorial held in Pune over the New Year's weekend; last week they were up against two juniors in the final round but tomorrow they face seasoned opposition.

In the men's final Gupta, the country's No. 2 player meets Nikhil Kanetkar with whom he shares a healthy rivalry and the veteran Laxmi meets the women's No. 2 B.R. Meenakshi, who was in crushing form in her semifinal today. With Rs 4 lakhs in prize money and spots on the Thomas and Uber Cups on offer, finals day at NSCI promises some extrememly competitive badminton.

The semifinals today were surprisingly quiet affairs, top-seeded Gupta disposing of the hard-working Ajit Wijetilak 15- 6, 15-2 in 35 minutes. No. 2 seed Kanetkar met junior National champion Chetan Anand in a replay of their Pune semifinal and the match was a tense 42-minute affair replete with as many errors as splendid rallies and dazzling strokeplay.

Kanetkar came through 15-5, 15-13 and his roar of triumph at the end of the second game a sign that he considered himself redeemed after defeat to the seventh-seeded teenager last week.

Meenakshi was ruthless in her demolition of Leena Pednekar from Goa winning her semifinal in 19 minutes, to set up a meeting with Laxmi. The National Games champion ran junior national champion Parul Priyadarshani ragged in her semifinal finishing up a 11-9, 11-9 winner in half an hour.

The results (semifinals):

Men's singles: 1-Abhinn Shyam Gupta (PSCB) bt Ajit Wijetilak (PSCB) 15-6, 15-2; 2-Nikhil Kanetkar (PSCB) bt 7-Chetan Anand (AI) 15-5, 15-13.

Women's singles: 1-B.R. Meenakshi (Rly) bt Leena Pednekar (Goa) 11-3, 11-3; 4-P.V.V. Laxmi (PSCB) bt Parul Priyadarshani (Rly) 11-9, 11-9.

Mixed doubles: Jaseel Ismail/Manjusha Kanwar (PSCB) bt J.B.S. Vidyadhar/G. Jwala (AP) 15-7, 17-15; 2- Vincent Lobo/Archana Deodhar (PSCB) bt Markose Bristow/Madhumita Bisht (Rly) 15-3, 15- 4.

Quarterfinals: Women's singles: 1-B.R. Meenakshi (Rly) bt Ketaki Thakkar (AI) 11-4, 11-3; Leena Pednekar (Goa) bt 3-C.H. Deepti (AP) 11-9, 1-6 (conc.); 4-P.V.V. Laxmi (PSCB) bt G. Jwala (AP) 12-13, 11-8, 11-1; Parul Priyadarshani (Rly) bt Shruti Kurien (AP) 11-1, 11-4.

Men's doubles: 1-Jaseel Ismail/Vincent Lobo (PSCB) bt Bhushan Akut/Srikant Bakshi (Rly) 15-4, 15-5; 3- Rajeev Bagga (Mah)/Vinod Kumar (Rly) bt George Thomas (Ker)/Ajay Kanwar (Del) 9-15, 15-10, 15-3; 4-Ajit Wijetilak (PSCB)/Jose George (Ker) bt Amrish Shinde/Mayur Ghatnekar (Mah) 15-13, 15-13; 2-Markose Bristow (PSCB)/Vijaydeep Singh (Rly) bt Mitesh Hazarnis-J.B.S. Vidyadhar (Rly) 9-15, 15-3, 15-6.

Women's doubles: 1-G. Jwala/Shruti Kurien (AP) bt Ketaki Thakkar/Trupti Murgunde (AI) 15-3, 15-5; Manjusha Kanwar/Archana Deodhar (PSCB) w/o C.H. Deepti (AP)/Oli Deka (Asm); Divya Ramesh (Kar)/Parul Priyadarshani (Rly) bt B.R. Meenakshi (Rly)/Tanuja Begum (Ker) 15-3, 15-5; 2-Madhumita Bisht (Rly)/P.V.V. Laxmi (PSCB) bt Vinaya Shetty (Rly)/Nazneen Karimi (Mah) 15-2, 15-13.

Pre-quarterfinals: Women's singles: Ketaki Thakkar (AI) bt Divya Ramesh (Kar) 11-0, 11-9; Leena Pednekar (Goa) bt Sampada Shettye (Rly) 9-11, 13-11, 11-9; 4-P.V.V. Laxmi (PSCB) bt Neha Gangoli (Mah) 11-1, 11-7; Parul Priyadarshani (Rly) bt Meenakshi Wagh (Mah) 11-5, 11-1; Shruti Kurien (AP) bt 2-Trupti Murgunde (AI) 13-12, 7-11, 13-10.

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