The Hindu : Sport : Aparna eyes ninth title, but Saina lurks

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Wednesday, Jan 11, 2006

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Sport

Aparna eyes ninth title, but Saina lurks

Kalyan Ashok

Arvind Bhat takes on Anup Sridhar

BANGALORE: Aparna Popat is on the threshold of making history. The 27-year-old Petroleum Sports Promotion Board star entered her ninth successive title round at the Canara Bank senior National badminton championship at the KBA Courts here on Tuesday.

The passage to the final did not come easy for Aparna as she battled hard for over 70 minutes to tame a plucky PSPB teammate and the second seed, B.R. Meenakshit 11-8, 11-13, 11-7.

She takes on the 15-year-old Saina Nehwal. In the last Nationals at Jamshedupur Aparna beat Saina for the title.

The 26-year-old Meenakshi played one of the best matches in the tournament. She attacked with gusto. She had Aparna scurrying for cover with her well-directed tosses and smashes.

A series of long rallies marked the engrossing tie and Aparna's tentative play at the net, had her in trouble for a while, especially in the second game.

Aparna took the first game after Meenakshi, who ran her close till seven all, mishit a few in a bid to step up the pace. Meenakshi made amends with a gritty display in the second where she rallied superbly from 8-10 down to win it on extra points (13-11).

In the decider, Aparna playing with lot more control and poise took a 5-3 lead, before allowing Meenakshi to bounce back and lead briefly at 6-5.

Aparna put the pressure on Meenakshi with some fine smashes. There serve changed hands few times at 10-7 before Meeankshi put the `bird' over the sidelines.

"It was tough all right, but I don't think I am playing under pressure and I will go into the final, keeping my cool," said Aparna Popat.

Saina confident

Saina Nehwal exuded total confidence. "I am ready for Aparna, and I know how to play her and I have been waiting for this moment," she said. The talented teenager defeated Trupti Mrugunde 11-9, 11-8 in the other semifinals.

Saina trailed 1-6 in the first game, before she turned it around at 5-8 with Trupti conceding couple of negative points. Later a drop and smash put Saina in control at 10-9 and she duly took it at 11-9.

In the second game Trupti rallied well from 2-8 to cut the deficit to 8-9 before Saina shut the door on her.

Deserving win

The top seed Arvind Bhat made his third National final with a deserving 15-8, 15-9 win over the third seed Chetan Anand in 46 minutes.

Consistency was the hallmark of Arvind Bhat's game against his quick moving rival who matched him in aggression. Trailing 5-8 in the first game, Arvind kept his returns going and let Chetan make the mistakes.

In the second, game, though Chetan came within a striking distance at 9-10, Arvind kept his cool and went for his big hits to send Chetan packing.

Arvind meets fellow Bangalorean and PSPB teammate Anup Sridhar, who would be looking forward to defend his title on the home turf.

Anup Sridhar defeated the fourth seed Nikhil Kanetkar 15-5, 15-9 in 50 minutes.

The results (all semifinals):

Men's singles: Arvind Bhat (PSPB) bt Chetan Anand (PSPB) 15-8, 15-9; Anup Sridhar (PSPB) bt Nikhil Kanetkar (PSPB) 15-5, 15-9.

Women's singles: Saina Nehwal (PSPB) bt Trupti Murgunde (PSPB) 11-9, 11-8; Aparna Popat (PSPB) bt B.R. Meenakshi (PSPB) 11-8, 11-13, 11-7.

Doubles final (women): Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien (PSPB) bt B.R. Meenakshi and Aparna Balan (PSPB) 15-13, 15-3.

Doubles semifinal (men): Jaseel P. Ismail and V.Diju (PSPB) bt Markose Bristow (PSPB) and Jaison Xavier (Ker) 15-4, 15-1; Sanave Thomas (Ker) and Rupesh Kumar (PSPB) bt Jose George and Ajit Wijetilak (Ktk) 15-9, 15-2.

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