Date:22/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/22/stories/2007112258432200.htm

Sport - Tennis

Vishnu emerges Railways champion

Special Correspondent

Vishnu stroked with authority
He avenged a defeat to Madkekar

NEW DELHI: Vishnu Vardhan outplayed Aditya Madkekar 6-1, 6-1 to clinch the singles title in the 54th all-India Railways tennis championship that concluded at the DLTA Complex here on Wednesday.

Vishnu served and stroked with authority to take revenge on Madkekar for his defeat in the final of the team championship in which Western Railway had prevailed over South Central Railway 2-0.

The singles champion collected Rs. 25,000 and the runner-up Rs. 15,000. Western Railway was presented Rs. 50,000 for winning the team honours and the runner-up South Central Railway was given Rs. 25,000.

Coach Balram Singh was felicitated on the occasion for his immense contribution over the decades. Another Railway employee, National tennis coach T. Chandrasekaran’s contribution was appreciated by the AITA secretary general Anil Khanna who announced that the decision to select him for the prestigious Dilip Bose award this year was taken during the recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AITA.

The Chairman of the Railway Board, K.C. Jena, was the chief guest and gave away the prizes.

The results (finals): Men: J. Vishnu Vardhan bt Aditya Madkekar 6-1, 6-1. Veterans: Sunil Jain bt Ram Kumar 9-5; Doubles: Purushottam & M. Samuel bt Hanumantha Rao & Ram Kumar 9-3.