NAGPUR district badminton players including SM Group’s Rutva Sajwan and Ameya Naktode reached semi-finals of U-15 and U-17 boys singles in the ongoing SBA Cup Presents Yonex-Sunrise Maharashtra Sub-Junior (U-15 & U-17) State Selection Tournament under way in Pune, on Saturday. In the U-15 BS quarter-final, Rutva pipped against Ayush Adey of Pune in a well-fought match. He took the first game 21-14 but lost the second 16-21. Showing maturity and fighting spirit, a hardworking Rutva fought back in the third game to take it 21-13. In the U-17 BS quarters, Ameya won against Yeshwant Salokhe, also of Pune 21-9, 21-18 in straight games.

 

Parents of Rutva and Ameya give credit of their success to coach Suresh Menon of SM Group. Rutva also reached semi-finals of U-15 boys doubles partnering Avadut Kadam. They won quarter-finals against Ruturaj Chipat and Swaraj Bhamre 21-12, 21-16 in straight games.

TALENTED Nishika Gokhe make it to top four in all three U-17 events — girls singles, girls doubles and mixed doubles. Ridheema Sarpate entered U-15 girls doubles semis. Both train under Kunal Dasarwar at Dhanwate National College.

Sairaj Nayse and Aarav Thakre entered Under-15 boys doubles semi-finals. In an exciting quarter-final, city’s talented duo of Sairaj and Aarav shocked higher ranked Abhigyan Singha and Ojas Joshi of Pune 21-15, 19-21, 21-19 to seal the semis spot. Earlier in the pre-quarters, Sairaj-Aarav pair rallied back superbly to stun Mumbai’s Jayden Noronha and Satya Chauhan 12-15, 15-10, 16-14. Sairaj and Aarav were down match point at 13-14 in the deciding third game, but the Nagpur boys reeled off three straight points to clinch the decider. In an all-Nagpur semis on Sunday, Sairaj-Aarav will face their city counterparts Arjun Khandekar and Arnav Palshikar, who got a walkover from Arjun Birajdar-Aryan Birajdar. Sairaj, a student of Narayana Vidyalayam, has also reached Round of 32 in the U-17 boys singles before losing to Pune’s Vedant Natu.

 

Arjun Khandekar and Arnav Palshikar reached the last-four stage in the tournament. On their way to the semis, Arjun and Arnav beat Amogh Adoni-Vihaan Murthy 17-15, 10-15, 15-11; they beat Ananya Deshmukh-Rudrapratap Patil 11-15, 15-8, 15-11. In pre-quarterfinal, Arnav-Arjun Khandekar got a walkover before prevailing over Archit Vyas-Arham Redasami 21-19, 21-17 in the quarter-final. Arnav and Arjun both practice under BWF Certified Coach Chetak Khedikar in Mankpur Stadium at Shuttlers Craze Sports academy. Both are students of BVM Trimurtinagar.

Krisha Soni, Pranay Gadewar adn Shouraya Madavi and also made it to the semi-finals in their respective categories.

Krisha, Pranay and Aarav Thakre train under Indian junior team coach Ajay Dayal.