The Hindu : Jwala and Shruthi retain women's doubles title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 22, 2004

Sport

Sport - Badminton

Jwala and Shruthi retain women's doubles title

By Abhijit Sen Gupta

PSPB's Shruthi Kurien (left) and Jwala Gutta, who won the women's doubles title. — Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD, JAN. 21. Top seeds Jwala Gutta and Shruthi Kurien of PSPB retained the women's doubles title in the IOC sponsored 68th Senior National badminton championship at the KVBR indoor stadium here today. In the final they defeated third seeded Trupti Murugunde and Fathima Mohd 5-15, 15-4, 15-4. This was the third time that the pair won the National doubles title.

In the men's singles 24-year-old Arvind Bhat of PSPB came up with two superb performances today. In the morning session (quarterfinal) Bhat pulled out all stops to get the better of a hard-hitting Sachin Ratti of Railways at 15-8, 17-15 and then in the evening session Bhat upset the defending champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta 15-12, 3-15, 15-7 in a tough semifinal battle.

In the first game Bhat piled up a 13-7 lead but then had a tough time in getting the last two points. Abhinn Shyam staged a late rally and playing his typical waiting game prolonged the tussle while collecting five points in a row before Bhat finally managed to finish it off.

In the second game Abhinn came up with some delectable shots and raced to a 15-3 win to take the issue into the decider.

The third game was again hotly contested. Bhat led 2-0 before Abhinn Shyam levelled at two-all and shot ahead 6-2. Bhat fought back using his height and reach advantage and from a 3-7 deficit Bhat drew level at seven-all and then took the lead. Thereafter the course of the battle took a turn in favour of Bhat and he slowly took his tally to 14, while Abhinn Shyam remained stranded at seven. But with Bhat at match point (14-7) the serve changed hands seven times before Abhinn Shyam put a return into the net to enable Bhat win the marathon tussle and enter the final of the National championship for the second time in his career.

In 2002 Bhat played Abhinn Shyam in the final and the latter had won so this time it was sweet revenge for Bhat.

In the other semifinal last year's runner-up Chetan Anand managed to defeat a hard-fighting J.B.S. Vidyadhar in three games. The winner profitted by a few close line calls which went in his favour.

The results:

Men's singles (semifinals): Chetan Anand (PSPB) bt J.B.S. Vidyadhar (PSPB) 15-10, 7-15, 15-9; Arvind Bhat (PSPB) bt Abhinn Shyam Gupta (PSPB) 15-12, 3-15, 15-7. Quarterfinals: Chetan Anand (PSPB) bt Hemant Duggal (Rly) 15-3, 15-5; J.B.S. Vidyadhar (PSPB) bt Utsav Mishra (UP) 15-9, 13-15, 17-14; Arvind Bhat (PSPB) bt Sachin Ratti (Rly) 15-8, 17-15; Abhinn Shyam Gupta (PSPB) bt Anoop Sridhar (Ktk) 15-8, 15-1.

Doubles (semifinals): Jaseel P.Ismail/J.B.S. Vidyadhar (PSPB) bt Sanave Thomas/V.Diju (Ker) 15-10, 15-5; Markose Bristow/Rupeh Kumar (PSPB) bt Ajit Wijetilak/Jose George (Ktk) 15-2, 17-14. Quarterfinals: Sanave Thomas/V.Diju (Ker) bt Mayur Gatnekar/Mangrish Palekar (Rly) 15-8, 15-11; Jaseel P.Ismail/J.B.S. Vidyadhar (PSPB) bt A.Prudhvi/P.Sunil (AP) 15-1, 15-12; Ajith Wijetilak/Jose George (Ktk) bt P.Gopi Chand/Chetan Anand (PSPB) 15-11, 10-15, 15-7; Markose Bristow/Rupesh Kumar (PSPB) bt Varun Khanwilkar/Mitesh Hazarnis (Rly) 15-12, 15-4.

Women's singles (semifinals): Aparna Popat (PSPB) bt Saina Nehwal (AP) 11-3, 11-5; Trupti Murugunde (Mah) bt Manjusha Kanwar (PSPB) 11-2, 11-5. Quarterfinals: Trupti Murugunde (Mah) bt Aditi Mutatkar 11-2, 11-0; Manjusha Kanwar (PSPB) bt B.R. Meenakshi (PSPB) 2-11, 11-9, 11-4; Saina Nehwal (AP) bt Krishna Deka Raja (Asm) 11-7, 11-7; Aparna Popat (PSPB) bt Shruthi Kurien (PSPB) 11-1, 11-1.

Doubles final: Jwala Gutta/Shruthi Kurien (PSPB) bt Trupthi Murugunde (Mah)/Fathima Mohd (Ker) 5-15, 15-4, 15-4. Semifinals: Jwala Gutta/Shruthi Kurien (PSPB) bt B.R. Meenakshi/Ch.Deepthi (PSPB) 15-6, 15-5; Trupthi Murugunde (Mah)/Fathima Mohd. (Ker) bt Manjusha Kanwar/Archana Deodhar (PSPB) 15-2, 15-4.

Mixed doubles (semifinals): Manjusha Kanwar/Jaseel P.Ismail (PSPB) bt Palkan Nagori/Mayank Behl (Rly) 15-8, 15-6; Jwala Gutta/P.Gopi Chand (PSPB) bt Aparna Balan/Sanave Thomas (Ker) 15-9, 15-2.

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