Vidyadhar reigns supreme

By Our Sports Reporter

TIRUPATI, JULY 16. Vidyadhar annexed the men's singles crown of the Mabbu Rami Reddy memorial Andhra Pradesh State major ranking prize money badminton tournament defeating compatriot C.M. Shashidhar 15-11, 15-2 at the Sri Venkateswara University Physical Education Department gymnasium here on Sunday.

Vidyadhar's court craft was definitely superior in an evidently one-sided final. When Shashidhar went for a short serve, the top seed's reflexes effected a swift cross-court return, giving Shashidhar not a chance. If Shashidhar lobbed high, Vidyadhar smothered the serve.

Right through the contest, which lasted less than half an hour, Shashidhar failed to come to terms with his drop shots, which sank into the net more often than not. Vidyadhar's accuracy was obvious in almost every stroke he chose to employ.

Clawing his way back from a set down, Shashidhar overcame P. Sunil Choudhary 16-17, 15-11, 15-5 in the semifinals earlier in the day. Shashidhar, a former junior state champion, has made a valiant comeback. Following a ghastly road accident, where his scooter was knocked down by a truck, he had laid off badminton for about four years. He commenced serious training just six months ago and his entry into the final in the first competitive event he was entering, is ample testimony of his grit and determination.

Choudhary, seeded third against Shashidhar's eighth, called the shots in the first game. Invariably Shashidhar's winners came when he was not serving and his flicks were a shade feeble, not having the impact he would have desired.

Big-built Sunil began to tire in the second set and his clearing was a little too defensive, giving Shashidhar ample room to pound the bird for points. The latter made the most of the former's tardy recovery to place the shuttle well out of Sunil's reach. It must go to Sunil's credit however that despite the cramps he developed shortly after the singles, he teamed up with badminton academy mate Vinayak to ward off a stiff challenge from Visakhapatnam's Lingeswar and Prashoab 12-15, 15-10, 15-13 in the doubles semifinals.

Vidyadhar's dominance in the other last four play-off was tested only in the second game against fellow South Central Railway employee and doubles partner B. Nagaraj. The first was the favourite's and in facile fashion too (15-4). Nagaraj, trailing 8-14 in the second set, drew level. In extended play, Vidyadhar put a stop to any ambitions Nagaraj nursed to equalise the match position, successfully subduing the fourth seed 17-14.

The results:

Singles: Final: J.B.S. Vidyadhar (Hyd) bt C.M. Shashidhar (Hyd) 15-11, 15-2. Semifinals: J.B.S. Vidyadhar bt B. Nagaraj (Hyd) 15- 4, 17-14; C.M. Shashidhar bt P. Sunil Choudhary 16-17, 15-11, 15- 5.

Doubles: Final: Sunil Choudhary & N.N. Vinayak beat Vidyadhar and Nagaraj by 8-15, 15-13, 17-14. Semifinals: J.B.S. Vidyadhar & B. Nagaraj bt Ramesh Naidu & Chandrasekhar (Kri) 15-2, 9-15, 15-0; P. Sunil Choudhary & N.N. Vinayak bt Lingeswar Rao & Prashoab 12- 15, 15-10, 15-13. Quarterfinals: J.B.S. Vidyadhar & B. Nagaraj bt Narasimha & Uday Bhaskar (Vsp) 12-15, 15-10, 15-4; Ramesh Naidu & Chandrasekhar bt Murali Krishna & Trueman (Vsp) 9-15, 15-10, 15- 9; Lingeswar Rao & Prashoab (Vsp) bt Kishore Kumar & Rajendra (Hyd) 8-15, 17-16, 15- 9; P. Sunil Choudhary & N.N. Vinayak bt Muralivardhan & Sanyasi Rao (Vsp) 11-15, 15-6, 15-4.

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