Meenakshi, Aparna clash in women’s final

For two who have began their careers almost together Siddarth and Gopi Chand matched each other in terms of talent and tactics. The key thus was the third T — temperament. And it was this factor that swayed the fortunes in the match, whichever way it went.

If it was Gopi’s resilience to fight back that helped him turn a 4-8 deficit into a 15-12 margin to win the first game, it was Siddarth’s sensible court-craft that saw him restore parity, cashing on the unforced Gopi came up with.

The stage thus set for a close decider, which indeed went close, till Siddarth sought medical attention for cramps in the calf muscles with the score-line reading 5-2 in Gopi’s favour. Siddarth, but the pain and his struggle was too obvious. He took the customary cross-over at 2-8 and conceded when Gopi began toying him around.

Lop-sided was a phrase that understated the dominance of the women’s finalists in their semifinals.

BR Meenakshi began the evening’s proceedings in a clinical manner utilising her rival’s unforced mistakes to win the first game at 11-2. And when Trupti, who scalped fancied Manjusha Kanwar in the quarterfinals, began to regain her touch late in the second game, Meenakshi stepped up the gas mixing aggression and deception in appropriate proportions to wrap up the game and the match at 11-6.

Aparna Popat was as focussed as ever in quashing Parul’s challenge. Right from the time the former French Open champ won the first point of the match with a characteristic cross-court half-smash, there was no doubting her form. The only question was of Parul’s abilities to resist Aparna’s onslaught. But with Aparna’s game improving with each point, even those hopes ended.

Results

Men Singles (QF): P Gopi Chand (IOC) bt Arup Baidya (Rlys) 15-2, 13-15, 15-7; Siddarth Jain (ONGC) bt Abhishek Bakshi 15-10, 15-13; Nikhil Kanetkar (IOC) bt Anuj Gupta (GNFC) 15-3, 15-4; Sachin Ratti (Rlys) bt Abhin Shyam Gupta (AI) 12-15, 15-7, 15-5. SF: Gopi Chand bt Siddarth Jain 15-12, 8-15, 10-2 (conceded).

Doubles (QF): Markose Bristow & Vijaydeep Singh bt Manoj Kumar & Vijayraghavan 15-10, 15-3; Sanave Thomas & V Diju bt George Thomas & Ajay Kanwar 15-8 15-2; Mitesh Hazarnis & Mayur Ghatnekar bt Arvind Bhat & N Shivaprakash 15-3, 17-16; Jaseel P Ismail & Vincent Lobo & Sushant Nidodi & KA Aneesh 15-8, 15-9. SF: Jaseel & Vincent bt Mitesh & Mayur 15-10, 15-10.

Women’s singles (QF): Aparna Popat (IOC) bt Shruthi S Kurien (AP) 11-0, 11-8; Parul Priyadarshini (AI) bt Neelima Choudary (BPCL) 11-5, 11-7; Trupti Murugunde (AI) bt Manjusha Kanwar (IOC) 13-10, 11-9; BR Meenakshi (Kar) bt Divya Ramesh 11-6, 11-4. SF: Aparna bt Parul 11-1, 11-2; Meenakshi bt Trupti 11-2, 11-6.

Women’s doubles (QF): PVV Lakshmi & Madhumita Bisht bt Parul Priyadarshini & Divya Rames 15-7, 15-7; Neelima Choudhary & D Shwetha bt Oli Deka & Sampada Shetye 8-15, 15-11, 15-6; BR Meenakshi & Tanuja Begum bt Swati Moghe & Palkan Nagori 15-9, 15-1; Shruti Kurien & G Jwala bt Ketaki Thakkar & Trupti Murgunde 15-3, 17-16.

Mixed doubles (QF): BR Meenakshi & Markose Bristow bt Divya Ramesh & BG Kiran (Kar) 15-2, 15-2; Madhumita Bisht & Mayur Ghatnekar bt Madhavi Kashikar & Sushant Nidodi 4-15, 15-11, 15-10; Manjusha Kanwar & Jaseel P Ismail bt Trupti Murgunde & Sandesh Chouta 17-15, 15-5; Shruti Kurien & Jose George bt G Jwala & JBS Vidyadhar 15-3, 15-5.