Date:16/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/16/stories/2008121653911600.htm

Sport - Badminton

Aditya stops Pranoy

SIVAKASI: H.S. Pranoy’s (Kerala) dream run in the 33rd junior National badminton championship was snapped on Monday when he lost 21-14, 11-21, 16-21 to third seed Aditya Prakash of Karnataka in the boys’ singles semifinals.

Down 12-20 in the final game, Pranoy warded off four match points, but could not alter the outcome.

Meanwhile, top seed B. Sumeeth Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) rallied to beat fourth seed Prakash Jolly (Karnataka) 15-21, 21-14, 21-13 in another semifinal fixture.

Thulasi advances

In the girls’ section, third seed P.C. Thulasi (Kerala) defeated top seed Anuradha Shirkande (Air India) 21-18, 19-21, 21-17 in an absorbing 53-minute encounter to set up a title clash with second seed N. Sikki Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), who got the better of Saili Rane (Maharashtra).

The results:

Semifinals: Boys: Singles: B. Sumeeth Reddy (AP) bt Prakash Jolly (Kar) 15-21, 21-14, 21-13; Aditya Prakash (Kar) bt H.S. Pranoy (Ker) 14-21, 21-11, 21-16.

Doubles: P. Jaya Jawahar & S. Aravind (AP) bt Pranav Chopra & B. Sai Praneeth 21-18, 16-21, 22-20; Prateek Patel & Aditya Prakash bt K. Nanda Gopal & Navin (AP) 17-21, 21-16, 21-15.

Girls: Singles: P.C. Thulasi (Ker) bt Anuradha Shirkhande (AI) 21-18, 19-21, 21-17; N. Sikki Reddy (AP) bt Saili Rane (Maharashtra) 21-15, 21-18.

Doubles: Vaishali Baria & Saili Rane bt Anuradha Shirkande & Sanyogita Ghorpade (AI) 21-14, 21-15; N. Sikki Reddy (AP) & P.C. Thulasi (Ker) bt Pradnya Gadre & Sheweta Kelkar (Mah) 21-15, 21-16.

Mixed doubles: Pradnya Gadre & Pranav Chopre (AI) bt K. Vidya & M.R. Manikandan (TN) 17-21, 21-9, 21-8; Mega Marin Ninan (Ker) & K. Nanda Gopal (AP) bt Seshadri Sanyal & Saurav Chatterjee (WB) 21-14, 21-17.