Sunil, Ghouse in summit clash

NEW DELHI, OCT 8: The men's singles final of the DSCL Open, the National hardcourt championships, will be contested between a 19-year-old...

NEW DELHI, OCT 8: The men8217;s singles final of the DSCL Open, the National hardcourt championships, will be contested between a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old.

On a humid Friday at the DTA complex, a patient Mustafa Ghouse first withstood the power and greater experience of Indian Oil Corporation8217;s Vasudeva Reddy and then proceeded to rip apart the latter for a 7-5, 6-1 win. In the second semifinal, 16-year-old Sunil Kumar battled a gritty Saurav Panja, dehydration and cramps before coming out on top 6-0, 4-6, 6-4.

Sunil played six rounds of men8217;s qualifying 8212; by the luck of the draw he played six to most others8217; five rounds 8212; three rounds in the under-18 section and four matches in the men8217;s main draw within eight days.

In the 125-minute match against Panja, Sunil just zoomed off the starting blocks, taking the first set 6-0. Panja, who showed remarkable resilience, came back with a chip and hustle tactic to break Sunil in the first game of the second set and sweep the next three for a 4-0 lead. It was perhaps only during this period that Sunil seemed a little ruffled. He then collected himself and won the next four games, before a pumped-up Panja broke again and took the set.

Though both looked tired in the decider, Sunil managed to take the first three games and Panja the next three. In the sixth, Sunil held on to his right leg, collapsed and took a medical break, asking for the doctor. The youngster then came back, withstood Panja8217;s efforts to make him run all over and finally took the match.

While IOC8217;s top duo, Sai Jayalakshmy, Rushmi Chakravarthi and third seed Archana Venkataraman Kar didn8217;t drop a set on their way to the last four, Arthi Archana8217;s elder sister and fourth seed was tested only in the quarters by Chandigarh8217;s Harsimran Kaur.

In today8217;s semi-finals, while Sai continued on her merry way, disposing off Archana in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, Rushmi was taken some distance by Arthi, before she came through 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

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Meanwhile, in the girls under-18 final, Maharashtra8217;s Radhika Tulpule cruised past Karishma Patel 7-5, 6-4. Radhika and Janaki Krishnamurthy conceded the women8217;s doubles title to the Venkataraman sisters, after each had a set and the Maharashtrian girls had a real chance to win. Arthi and Archana won 2-6, 7-6 9-7, 3-1 conceded.

Results

Men8217;s semifinals: 7-Mustafa Ghouse Mah bt 5-Vasudeva Reddy IOC 7-5, 6-1; Sunil Kumar Chd bt 4-Saurav Panja WB 6-0, 4-6, 6-4. Boys under-18 semifinals: 1-Akshay Vishal Rao Chd bt 7-Kedar Shah Mah 6-4, 6-4; Parantap Chaturvedi Del bt Mithun Murali TN 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Women semifinals: 1-Sai Jayalakshmy IOC bt 3-Archana Venkataraman Kar 6-2, 6-3; 2-Rushmi Chakravarthi IOC bt 4-Arthi Venkataraman Kar 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Girls under-18 final: 3-Radhika Tulpule Mah bt Karishma Patel Guj 7-5, 6-4.

Doubles finals: Men: Mustafa Ghouse/Vishal Uppal Mah/Del bt Nitin Kirtane/Saurav Panja Mah/WB 7-5, 7-6 7/4. Women: Archana Venkataraman/Arthi Venkataraman Kar bt Janaki Krishnamurthy/Radhika Tulpule Mah 2-6, 7-6 9/7, 3-1 concd. Boys under-18: Nandakumar Mukundan/Mithun Murali TN bt Abhijit Mazumdar/Kedar Shah Mah 6-2, 7-5. Girls under-18: Harsimran Kaur/Italia Khushchehr Chd/Mah bt Samrita Sekar/T Yamini TN 7-6 7/4, 2-6, 6-1.