The Hindu : Gayatri edges out Varsha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 28, 2003

Sport

Sport - Badminton

Gayatri edges out Varsha

By Our Special Correspondent

THANE Nov. 27. Gayatri Kochak of Maharashtra showed that extra edge to nose out Karnataka's Varsha Belwadi in a pulsating second round match of the girls singles individual events matches in the 28th junior National badminton championships on Thursday at the Dadoji Konddeo stadium's Khandu Rangnekar Badminton Hall. She won 11-7, 4-11, 11-9 after being made to sweat on court for almost 40 minutes.

The seeded players enjoyed a comparatively easy day after the nerve-wracking inter-state events, with Saina Nehwal and Krishna Deka Raja winning without being stretched. Andhra Pradesh's T. Soumya and Kerala's M. Shruti however, were taken to the decider before booking their third round berth in the Indian Oil-sponsored event, organized by Thane City & District Badminton Association.

The AP shuttler, Soumya is a doubles specialist but showed singles prowess when it mattered to force out Prabhinu Kabra (Madhya Pradesh) 11-9, 8-11, 11-4. Shruti was forced into an exhaustive workout before being able to assert herself against Delhi's Mohita Sahadev, the Kerala girl winning 4-11, 13-11, 11-4.

The best match of the day involved Gayatri. Cashing in on her control to pocket the first game against Varsha, whose improved second game showing led to the decider, the Pune player jumped to a 8-3 lead before finding it difficult to make headway when rallies became longer against her Karnataka rival. Just one point separated the two at 10-9 before the Maharashtra player showed her mental strength at matchpoint.

The results: Girls singles (2nd round): Saina Nehwal (AP) bt Malvika Sarkhed (Jhar) 11-1, 11-0; Monica Soutiyal (Uttar) bt M. Saguna (Pondy) 11-6, 11-1; Aditi Mutatkar (Mah) w/o Samriti (HP); Anita (Har) bt Pritam Desai (Goa) 11-0, 11-2; Neha Rane (Mah) bt Chitralekha (Del) 11-5, 11-5; Anjali Khalita (Asm) bt Aarti Gupta (UP) 11-3, 11-1; Ruth Misha (Kar) w/o A. Das (Ori) ; T. Soumya (AP) bt Prabinu Kabra (MP) 11-9, 8-11, 11-4; Neha Pandit (Mah) w/o Mukta Bindu Basu (Ben); Abnida Amin (Asm) bt T. Randhava (Pun) 11-6, 8-11, 11-8; Poonam Tiwari (Rlys) bt Kanika (Raj) 11-0, 11-1; M. Shruti (Ker) bt Mohita Sahdev (Del) 4-11, 13-11, 11-4; J. Sharada Govardhani (AP) bt Kannu (Har) 11-4, 11-2; Rimi Hazarika (Asm) bt Sachi Rege (MP) 11-0, 11-3; Sonal More (Mah) bt Amrita Thakur (Bih) 11-0, 11-0; Krishna Deka Raja (Asm) bt Gayatri Vartak (Mah) 11-5, 11-5; Gayatri Kochak (Mah) bt Varsha Belwadi (Kar) 11-7, 4-11, 11-9.

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