Mihika Yadav and Rian Pandole, both upcoming players from Maharashtra advanced to the girl’s and boy’s under-16 singles finals respectively, of the Babolat 8th Ramesh Desai National Championship for boys’ and girls’ under-16 and under-12, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).
In a girl’s last four round match, third-seeded Yadav prevailed over her statemate Mahak Jain 6-4, 6-3 at the MSLTA courts on Friday.
Yadav will meet Tamil Nadu’s top seed Abinika R. in the title round on Saturday. The Tamil Nadu girl put an end to the dream run of Prinkle Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, who had defeated Chandigarh’s fifth seed Aarushi Kakkar and Haryana’s fourth seed Himani Mor on way to the semis. Abinika dominated the match and waltzed to a 6-1, 6-3 victory to take her appointed place in the final.
In the boy’s event, Pandole sustained his brilliant run of form as he dished out another sterling performance to dash the aspirations of Chandigarh’s Param Pun by coasting to a 6-2, 6-2 semi-final victory.
In the other semi-final encounter, second seed Paramveer Singh Bajwa tamed Maharashtra’s Siddhant Banthia winning in straight games at 6-4, 6-3.
Meanwhile in the boy’s under-12 singles semi-finals, seventh Terrance Das of Tamil Nadu outclassed Gujarat’s second seed Dev V. Javia posting a 6-1, 6-2 victory. In the final Das will meet Andhra Pradesh’s Adarsh Naga Tippabhatla who rallied to down Divesh Gahlot of Haryana 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The girl’s under-12 final will be played between top seed Sarah Dev of Punjab and Gujarat’s seventh seed Bhakti Parwani. Dev powered her way to a facile 6-0, 6-1 win over third seed Shreya Gulia of Haryana 6-0, 6-1 and Parwani got the better of Gauri Bhagia of Maharashtra 6-4, 7-6(3).
Semi-final results –Girls’ under-16 singles: 1-Abinikka R. (TN) bt Prinkle Singh (JK) 6-1, 6-3; 3-Mihika Yadav (MH) bt Mahak Jain (MH) 6-4, 6-3.
Boys’ under-16 singles: Rian Pandole (MH) bt Param Pun (CH) 6-2, 6-2; 2-Paramveer Singh Bajwa (PB) bt Siddhant Banthia (MH) 6-4, 6-3.
Girls’ under-12 singles: 1-Sarah Dev (PB) bt 3-Shreya Gulia (HR) 6-0, 6-1; 7-Bhakti Parwani (GJ) bt Gauri Sanjay Bhagia (MH) 6-4, 7-6(3).
Boys’ under-12 singles: Adarsh Naga Tippabhatla (AP) bt Divesh Gahlot (HR) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; 7-Terrance Das (TN) bt 2-Dev V. Javia (GJ) 6-1, 6-2.