The Hindu : Sport : Chetan Anand survives Anand Pawar scare

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2006

Sport

Sport

Chetan Anand survives Anand Pawar scare

Kalyan Ashok

Saina gets past Ruth

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

FULL STRETCH: Saina Nehwal advanced to the semifinal getting past Ruth Misha. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Experience scored over the youth as the third seed Chetan Anand staved off a spirited challenge from Anand Pawar of Air-India 15-12, 15-9 in 50 minutes and advanced to the men's singles semifinals of the Canara Bank senior National badminton championship at the KBA Courts here on Monday.

Chetan's PSPB teammates — the top seeded Aravind Bhat, the defending champion and the fourth seed Anup Sridhar — and the sixth seed Nikhil Kanetkar were the other qualifiers for the last four round.

Chetan Anand, the 2004 champion was certainly under pressure in the initial phase of the match as the seventh seed Anand Pawar kept his rival on the defensive with well placed tosses and smashes showing superb wrist control. The 19-year-old Indian junior, son of the former Indian international Uday Pawar, matching his seasoned rival stroke for stroke, after trailing 1-4 levelled at 4 all and took a 10-7 lead. But Chetan wrested back the control with a good mix of attack and defence and after squaring the score at 12- all, surged ahead with a down line return and took the game with a smash.

Bounces back

Pawar seemed to bounce back from that reverse in the second game and led 7-1 as Chetan Anand, who hardly moved on the court, made quite a few mishits. But Chetan woke up just in time and settled down. He made it 8-all with Pawar flicking into the net and from then onwards, it was Chetan's show all the way. Pawar saved a match point at 9-14, but the end came soon enough as Chetan tapped a winning push to the centre.

"I played much better today and I am glad that I put up a fight against World No.25," said Anad Pawar. In the semifinals, Chetan Anand meets Arvind Bhat, who outclassed Utsav Misra of Uttar Pradesh 15-2, 15-8.

The southpaw Nikhil Kanetkar defeatedRohan Castelino of Karnataka in an absorbing 80 minute tussle at 15-8, 12-15, 15-7 and set up a semifinal clash with Anup Sridhar, who accounted for Thomas Kurian 15-5, 15-7.

Aditi flatters to deceive

The 15-year-old Aditi Mutatkar caused some anxious moments for the second seed, B.R. Meenakshi of the PSPB, who prevailed 13-10, 11-2 in a match lasting 29 minutes. Aditi had beaten Meenakshi twice during the season, but when it really mattered, she failed to deliver.

Meenakshi set a hot pace, racing to a 8-1 lead, then came a splendid fight back from Aditi, who repeatedly lured her rival to commit errors at the net and tied the score at 9-all with Meeankshi tossing a cross court return over the sidelines.

Aditi, looking pretty much in control had the game point at 10-9 before tossing a deep one over the baseline. Meenakshi soon levelled at 10-all and pushed the game to extra points. Aditi failed to focus at this crucial juncture and netted twice to put Meenakshi on road to victory.

In the second game, Meenakshi racing to a 5-0 lead, never relaxed her grip as she attacked with zest to end Aditi's hopes of a comeback

Meenskhi in the semifinals meets the defending champion Aparna Popat, who quickly packed off Shurti Kurien 11-0, 11-5.

In a replay of the last year Nationals' semifinal line up, Saina Nehwal will meet Trupti Murgunde. The fourth seeded Saina was tested by the qualifier Ruth Misha of Karnataka in the second game. After dropping the first at 3-11, Ruth trailed 1-8 in the second game, but rallied superbly to level at 8-all. But she couldn't push her luck further as Saina found her bearings and closed out the match at 11-9. The top seed, Trupti Murgunde beat teammate, Krishna Dekaraja 11-3,11-5.

The results:

Men's singles: Quarterfinals: Arvind Bhat (PSPB) bt Utsav Misra (UP) 15-2, 15-8; Chetan Anand (PSPB) bt Anand Pawar (AI) 15-12, 15-9; Anup Sridhar (PSPB) bt Thomas Kurian (Ker) 15-5, 15-7; Nikhil Kanetkar (PSPB) bt Rohan Castelino (PSPB) 15-8,12-15, 15-7.

Doubles: Quarterfinals: Sanave Thomas & Rupsh Kumar (PSPB) bt Hemant Duggal & Mayank Behl (Rly) 15-5, 15-1; Jose George & Ajit Wijetilak (Kar) bt George Thomas & K.A. Anish (Ker) 15-7, 15-2; Jaseel P. Ismail & V. Diju (PSPB) bt D. Guruprasad & Vineet Manuel (Kar) 15-10, 15-3; Markose Bristow & Jaison Xavier (PSPB) bt K. Tanishk & N.N. Vinayak (AP) 15-9, 15-7.

Women: singles quarterfinals: Aparna Popat (PSPB) bt Shruti Kurien (PSPB) 11-0, 11-5; Trupti Murgunde (PSPB) bt Krsihna Dekaraja (PSPB) 11-3, 11-5; Saina Nehwal (PSPB) bt Ruth Misha (Kar) 11-3, 11-9.

Doubles: semifinals: B.R. Meenakshi (PSPB) & Aparna Balan (Ker) bt Deepthi Priydarshini & T. Sowmya (AP) 15-11, 15-6; Jwala Gutta & Shruti Kurien (PSPB) bt Oli Deka (Asm) & Krishnadekaraja (PSPB) 15-2, 15-10.

Mixed doubles: quarterfinals: Jaseel P. Ismail (PSPB) & Aparna Balan (Ker) bt Arup Baidya & Barnali Raha (Rly) 15-12, 15-8; K.A. Anish & Merit George (Ker) bt Vineeth Manuel (Kar) & Manju George (LIC) 11-15, 15-5, 15-9; V. Diju & Jwala Gutta (PSPB) bt Jayan James & Deepthi Priyadarshini (AP) 15-10, 15-5; Markose Bristow & B.R. Meenakshi (PSPB) bt Jose George & Ashwini Ponnappa (Kar) 15-7, 15-3.

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