GD Birla Memorial: Ajita wins thriller for singles title
Mumbai, April 14
Ajita Ravindran displayed immense grit and resilience against an equally determined Pooja Jhalani to prevail in three games and win the Women's Singles 45 plus title in the GD Birla Memorial Inter-Club Badminton Tournament, hosted by Bombay Gymkhana.
After dropping the closely contested opening game 24-26, Ajita clawed back to win the second 21-19 and, with both players fighting tooth and nail for each point in trying conditions, won the decider 21-18 to cap a well-deserved victory.
In the Men's Doubles 110 plus category, the duo of Bibhash Chatterjee and Shiv Thakur delivered a commanding performance to defeat top seeds Gautam Laud and Shailesh Daga in straight games, 21-12, 21-15, according to a release.
In the Men's Singles 45 plus category, Vikrant Karanjkar put up a dominant display to overcome top seed Sachin Bharati 21-6, 21-19, while, in the Mixed Doubles 80 plus category, Hemant Duggal and Shweta Thakur registered one of the most one-sided wins of the finals, defeating Sandeep Mohan and Tejasvi Sawant Desai 21-10, 21-4.
Final Match Results
Men's Doubles 110 plus
Bibhash Chatterjee/Shiv Thakur beat Gautam Laud / Shailesh Daga [1] - 21-12, 21-15
Women's Singles 45 plus
Ajita Ravindran beat Pooja Jhalani - 24-26, 21-19, 21-18
Men's Singles 45 plusVikrant Karanjkar beat Sachin Bharati [1] - 21-6, 21-19
Mixed Doubles 80 plusHemant Duggal/Shweta Thakur defeated Sandeep Mohan/Tejasvi Sawant Desai - 21-10, 21-4.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see the GD Birla Memorial tournament getting coverage. These inter-club events are the backbone of Indian sports. Bibhash and Shiv's win over the top seeds is particularly impressive. More power to veteran players!
The scoreline in the Mixed Doubles final (21-10, 21-4) seems incredibly one-sided. While congratulations to Hemant and Shweta, I hope the organizers can ensure more competitive matches in the future to make the finals truly thrilling for spectators.
Vikrant Karanjkar beating the top seed 21-6 in the first game is just domination! Sachin Bharati made a fight in the second, but the damage was done. Shows you can never underestimate any player on their day. Badminton at this level is so strategic.
Bombay Gymkhana hosting such events is wonderful. It keeps the sporting spirit alive among professionals and veterans. My uncle used to play in this tournament. These names bring back memories. Congrats to all winners! 👏
Interesting to see the age category tournaments (45 plus, 80 plus, 110 combined age). It's a great format that allows for lifelong competition. The fitness and skill level required, especially in that Women's Singles final, is seriously commendable.
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