Aparna, Gopi live upto billing

Bangalore, August 6: In an excellent display of precision badminton, top seeds Pullela Gopi Chand and Aparna Popat retained their singles ...

Bangalore, August 6: In an excellent display of precision badminton, top seeds Pullela Gopi Chand and Aparna Popat retained their singles title in the 6th edition of the BPL All-India Open tournament at the KBA on Sunday.

Gopi Chand sized up his IOC teammate Nikhil Kanetkar, even allowing his rival to take an early lead, before beginning the demolition act which culminated in a 15-11, 15-6 win after Aparna had started the day’s proceedings handing out a 11-3, 11-4 drubbing to BR Meenakshi in 30 minutes.

Southpaw Nikhil Kanetkar it was, ironically, who seemed in control of the proceedings early in the first game when he, capitalising on Gopi’s struggle in assessing the height of the net and the width of the lines, raced to a 5-0 lead. But with Gopi handling the early blues well and picking up his wonten form scores were levelled at 6, a score at which the two engaged in a battle of wits with the serve changing hands seven times.

A netted back hand by Nikhil gave Gopi the advantage, which the 27-year-old India No 1 capitalised on to build up a lead of 10-6. Gopi’s form, this time in terms of concentration levels, dipped again and Nikhil managed to bring parity to scores at 11. But with his more varied repertoire of strokes, the cross-court half-smash used as the trump card, Gopi wrapped the first game.

In the second game, Gopi was relentless right from the beginning using the backhand down-the-line drop more often than earlier, to take an initial 3-0 lead, building it to a 9-1 and clinching the issue with a splendid down the middle smash.

The women’s final lasted less than the warm-up sessions, a period extended with a Dr Rajkumar fans agitation delaying the start of the match, of the two finalists.

Aparna’s form especially while picking her rival’s deception, was a little shaky early in the match, but with Meenakshi inconsistent with her drops, there was no threat to the defending champion’s quest.

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Aparna raced ahead 7-2, consolidated it to 10-3 before winning the first game in merely 11 minutes when Meenakshi sent the shuttle long.

A 5-0 lead early in the second game, boosted Aparna’s confidence, a position she consolidated with steady net play. Meenakshi attempted a rally late in the second game, but the lapse in Aparna’s concentration proved momentary.

Results (all finals): Men’s singles: P Gopi Chand (IOC) bt Nikhil Kanetkar (IOC) 15-11, 15-6. Doubles: Vijaydeep Singh (Rlys) & Markose Bristow (IOC) bt Jaseel P Ismail (IOC) & Vincent Lobo (ONGC) 17-14, 15-8.
Women’s singles: Aparna Popat (IOC) bt BR Meenakshi (Kar) 11-3, 11-4. Doubles: PVV Lakshmi (BPCL) & Madhumita Bisht (Rlys) bt Jwala Gutta & Shruthi Kurien (both AP) 15-1, 15-5.
Mixed doubles (SF): BR Meenakshi & Markose Bristow bt Madhumita Bisht & Mayur Ghatnekar 15-7, 15-7; Jwala & Vidyadhar bt Manjusha Kanwar & Jaseel Ismail 15-11, 15-12. Final: Marokse & Meenakshi bt Jwala & Vidyadhar 15-4, 9-15, 15-4.