Abhinn Shyam, Chetan Anand in title clash

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, SEPT. 8. Abhinn Shyam Gupta and Chetan Anand, the top two players in the country after Pullela Gopi Chand, set up a befitting summit clash with contrasting semifinal wins in the Infineon Cup Open badminton championship at the Raheja-Karnataka Badminton Association courts here on Saturday.

French Open champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta defeated Siddarth Jain of ONGC in a 45 minute tussle at 1-7, 7-1, 2-7, 7- 3, 7-3 while recent Asian satellite winner Chetan Anand overcame powered his way past Arvind Bhat of Karnataka 8-6, 7-3, 7-3.

The clash between Abhinn and Siddarth was an engrossing one with both players having different styles and temperaments. Abhinn was at the receiving end initially as Siddarth stepped up the pace and attacked with zest to run up a 2-1 lead. Abhinn though with a gritty defensive ploy slowed down the pace.

He tested Siddarth's patience by engaging him in rallies. Abhinn's ability to retrieve almost every shot at this stage frustrated Siddarth who then conceded the lead and found it difficult to get back his bearings. Abhinn won the game to restore parity and firmly took control of the decider with his uncanny placements.

He also hit back in good measure with his half smashes. Changing over for the last time at 4-2, Abhinn was very much on top. He conceded a point misjudging a toss but quickly wrested back control and won the match point with Siddarth pushing in a net dribble. Siddarth was shown an yellow card after he slammed the net with his racket on netting a return.

Chetan Anand preferred to tread with caution against Arvind Bhat, who had earlier in the quarterfinals registered a dramatic comeback win over fourth seed, Sachin Ratti in five games.

Bhat, cheered on by local supporters, began on a whirlwind note racing to a 6-3 lead. On game point he served out and that fatal flaw saw Chetan turn the game around. Chetan took three straight points to set up a 6-all tie and went on to take the game in extra points at 8-6.

Chetan was very much in command after crossing that hurdle. He dictated the pace and had his rival in knots with his judicious play. He closed the tie in straight games in 24 minutes.

Easy for Trupti

The spotlight on the distaff side was on 21-year-old Trupti Murgunde, the National junior runner-up in 1999 and 2000. The unseeded Air-India player made her first senior final knocking out second seed G. Jwala in semifinals 7-4, 7-4, 7-0. She had earlier ousted fourth seed Divya Ramesh in the quarterfinals.

Trupti moved much quicker and played with a lot more focus than the erratic Jwala, who lost steam quickly. Trupti took five points in-a-row to grab the lead and never lost her grip on the tie.

In the final Trupti will clash with top seed B.R. Meenakshi of IOC, who sidelined former National champion P.V.V. Lakshmi of BPCL 7-3, 7-4, 7-2. Meenakshi then partnered Oli Deka to enter the women's doubles final.

lThe results (prefix indicate seedings):

Men: singles (semifinals): 1-Abhinn Shyam Gupta (IOC) bt 3- Siddarth Jain (ONGC) 1-7, 7-1, 2-7, 7-3, 7-3; 2-Chetan Anand (ONGC) bt 7-Arvind Bhat (Kar) 8-6, 7-3, 7-3.

Quarterfinals: Abhinn Shyam Gupta (IOC) bt Thomas Kurian (ONGC) 7-4, 8-6, 7-5; Siddharth Jain (ONGC) bt Ravinder Singh (UP) 7-4, 8-6, 7-4; Arvind Bhat (Kar) bt 4-Sachin Ratti (Rly) 1-7, 0-7, 7- 3, 7-4, 7-4; Chetan Anand (ONGC) bt Nikhil Kanetkar (IOC) 7-4, 2- 7, 7-4, 4-7, 7-1.

Doubles (semfinals): Ajit Wijetilek (BPCL)/Jose George (Ker) bt Sanave Thomas/V. Diju (Ker) 7-3, 7-2, 4-7, 7-0; Jaseel P. Ismail (IOC)/Jaison Xavier (Ker) bt Markose Bristow (IOC)/Vijaydeep Singh (Rly) 7-5, 7-2, 4-7, 8-6.

Quarterfinals: Sanave Thomas/V. Diju (Ker) bt Mitesh Hazarnis/Mangrish Palekar (Mah) 5-7, 7-4, 7-2, 8- 6; Ajit Wijetilek (BPCL)/Jose George (Ker) bt Deepak Amarnath/George Thomas (Ker) 7-1, 8-6, 7-3; Jaseel P. Ismail (IOC)/Jaison Xavier (Ker) bt Mayur Ghatnekar/Bhushan Akut (Mah) 7-4, 7-5, 4-7, 7-5; Markose Bristow (IOC)/Vijaydeep Singh (Rly) bt Manoj Kumar/Vijayaraghavan (AP) 5-7, 7-3, 8-6, 7-4.

Women: singles (semifinals): Trupti Murgunde bt 2-G. Jwala (BPCL) 7-4, 7-4, 7-0; 1-B.R. Meenakshi (IOC) bt 3-P.V.V. Lakshmi (BPCL) 7-3, 7-4, 7-2.

Quarterfinals: B.R. Meenakshi (IOC) bt D. Swetha (AI) 7-0, 7-1, 7-5; P.V.V. Lakshmi (BPCL) bt Shalini Prakash (AI) 7-0, 7-2, 7-0; Trupti Murgunde (AI) bt 4-Divya Ramesh (Kar) 7-0, 7-0, 7-2; G. Jwala (BPCL) bt Pooja Patil (AI) 7-3, 7-4, 7-3.

Doubles (semifinals): B.R. Meenakshi (IOC)/Oli Deka (OIL) bt G. Jwala/Shruthi Kurien (BPCL) 1-7, 7-2, 7-4, 7-5; Madhumita Bhist (Rlys)/P.V.V. Lakshmi (BPCL) bt Trupti Murgunde (AI)/Archana Deodhar (BPCL) 5-7, 7-2, 7-2, 7-1.

Quarterfinals: G. Jwala/Shruti Kurien (BPCL) bt Tanuja Begum (Ker)/D. Swetha (AI) 7-3, 7-3, 7-1; B.R. Meenakshi (IOC)/Oli Deka (OIL) bt Fathima Nazneen Mohd/B.N. Ashwini (AI) 7-0, 4-7, 7-3, 7- 2; Trupti Murgunde (AI)/Archana Deodhar (BPCL) bt C.H. Deepthi/Sarada Reddy (AP) 7-2, 5-7, 7-4, 7-5; Madhumita Bisht (Rly)/P.V.V. Lakshmi (BPCL) bt Palkan Nagori (Guj)/Swati Chauhan (Rly) 8-6, 7-4, 8-6.

Unseeded Trupti Murgunde of Air-India, who entered the women's singles final, goes for a return against second seed G. Jwala of BPCL in the Infineon Cup Open badminton championship in Bangalore on Saturday.

Top seed Abhinn Shyam Gupta of IOC, who scored a hard fought win over third seed Siddarth Jain of ONGC, in action in the men's semifinals of the Infineon Cup Open badminton championship in Bangalore on Saturday.

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