Date:31/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/31/stories/2008073161811800.htm

Sport - Badminton

Ratti, Bhat in title clash

MUMBAI: Sachin Ratti (Railways) smashed powerfully at every opportunity to fashion a hard-earned 16-21, 21-18, 21-17 victory over Rajiv Ouseph (England) in the men’s singles semfinals of the Tata Open all-India badminton tournament at the Bombay Gymkhana courts, here on Wednesday.

He faces a tougher final opponent in Arvind Bhat (Petroleum), whose steady play and retrieving put Ajay Jayaram under pressure in the decider, leading to a 7-21, 21-19, 21-7 semifinal win.

Neha Pandit (Maharashtra) and B.R. Meenakshi (Petroleum) set up a title clash in the women’s singles. Gayatri Vartak of Maharashtra went down in the quarterfinals.

Ratti appeared at sea against the mobile England shuttler in the first game, but then turned the tide with ferocious smashing in the next two games.

Bhat was at the receiving end of Jayaram’s touchplay, then worked himself up into form and was in total control in the decider.

The results: Men: Singles: Semifinals: Arvind Bhat (Pet) bt Ajay Jayaram (Mah) 7-21, 21-19, 21-7; Sachin Ratti (Rlys) bt Rajiv Ouseph (Eng) 16-21, 21-18, 21-17. Quarterfinals: Bhat bt Sai Guru Dutt (AP) 21-14, 21-14; Ajay bt P. Kashyap (Pet) 21-14, 24-22; Ratti bt Anand Pawar 16-21, 21-19, 21-18; Ouseph bt Nikhil Kanetkar (Pet) 21-11, 21-14.

Women: Semifinals: Neha Pandit (Mah) bt Sayali Gokhale (AI) 19-21, 21-18, 21-16; B.R. Meenakshi (Pet) bt Dhanya Nair (Rlys) 21-12, 21-11. Quarterfinals: Sayali bt Gayatri Vartak (Mah) 21-19, 15-21, 21-18; Neha bt Shruti Kurien (Pet) 12-21, 21-17, 21-11; Dhanya bt Ashwini Ponnappa (Kar) 21-16, 19-21, 24-22; Meenakshi bt Sikky Reddy (AP) 21-16, 21-12. Doubles: Semifinals: Jwala Gutta & Shruti Kurien (Pet) bt Sikky & P.C. Thulasi (Ker) 21-10, 21-16; B.R. Meenakshi & Aparna bt Trupti Murgunde (Pet) & Dhanya Nair (Rlys) 21-16, 21-14.

Mixed doubles: Semifinals: V. Diju & Jwala bt Jayan James (Rlys) & Deepti Priyadarshini (AP) 21-16, 21-17; Akshay Dewalkar (AP) & Aparna bt J. Vidydhar (AP) & Shruti 20-22, 21-16, 21-15. — Special Correspondent