The Hindu : Sport : Memorable outing for Sridhar, Aparna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 07, 2005

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Sport

Memorable outing for Sridhar, Aparna

By S. Sabanayakan

CHAMPIONS BOTH: Anup Sridhar (left) and Aparna Popat with their trophies after the senior National badminton championships. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

JAMSHEDPUR, FEB. 6. It was a special day for Anup Sridhar and Aparna Popat. They won the men's and women's 69th senior National badminton singles titles respectively, at the Mohun Ahuja Indoor Stadium here on Sunday. It was Sridhar's first and for Aparna, a record-equalling eighth title.

The victory enabled the 21-year-old Sridhar, a Mahavir Jain College Business Administration PG diploma student from Bangalore claim the Vikas Topiwala Challenge Cup, defeating former champion and eighth seed Abhinn Shyam Gupta 15-4, 15-5 in 40 minutes.

Aparna, seeded fourth, retained the Olympic Challenge Badminton Cup after she demolished the junior National champion, Saina Nehwal, 11-3, 11-4 in 19 minutes.

The day's only contest which kept the spectators spellbound was the men's doubles final.

The top-seeded pair of Sanave Thomas and K.T. Rupesh Kumar subdued second-seeded pair of Jaseel P. Ismail and V. Diju 15-12, 14-17, 15-12 to lift the Calcutta Badminton Cup.

The country's leading women's doubles team of Jwala Gutta and Shruthi Kurian retained the All India Badminton Association Cup for the fourth time, last three in a row, defeating Krishna Deka Raja and Oli Deka 15-3, 15-3.

The mixed doubles title went to Markose Bristow and B.R. Meenakshi. "The victory was a little bit easier than I had thought. The faster shuttle also helped me,'' said Sridhar.

"Winning the eighth title is like winning any of the earlier seven. All are special to me. All my achievements are due to the support of my parents and coach Ganguly Prasad,'' she said.

The results (finals):

Men's singles: Anup Sridhar (Pet) bt Abhinn Shyam Gupta (Pet) 15-4, 15-5. Doubles: Sanave Thomas/K.T. Rupesh Kumar (Ker) bt Jaseel P. Ismail/V. Diju (Pet) 15-12, 14-17, 15-12.

Women's singles: Aparna Popat (Pet) bt Saina Nehwal (AP) 11-3, 11-4. Doubles: Jwala Gutta/Shruthi Kurian (Pet) bt Krishna Deka Raja (Pet)/Oli Deka (Asm) 15-3, 15-3.

Mixed doubles: Markose Bristow/B.R. Meenakshi (Pet) bt Jaison Xavier/Aparna Balan (Ker) 15-3, 15-2.

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