The winners at Rasik Memorial State Badminton Ranking Tournament.
Photo Credits: The Goan
MARGAO
Karan Dhavaskar and Anjana Kumari were crowned Men’s and Women’s singles champions while Harsh Mane and Janhavi Mahale emerged winners in Junior (U-19) Boys and Girls singles categories respectively, at the Rasik Memorial State Badminton Ranking Tournament organised by Rasik Memorial Trust in collaboration with Goa Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa.
The finals played at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor stadium at Navelim on Sunday witnessed several exciting contests with some of them going the whole distance. Sanquelim boy Karan after his previous success in Chicalim tasted success again with a 21-18, 21-19 win over Umakant Sarge in the final. Anjana was made to work much harder by a tenacious Janhavi Mahale for a 21-15, 21-23, 21-15 win in the Women’s singles finals.
Harsh Mane created a major upset in Junior Boys singles when he edged out Nishant Shenai in a pulsating contest to emerge victorious. In a gruelling three-game match which was full of engaging rallies, 14-year-old Harsh, playing in an event two categories above, triumphed over Nishant, who is ranked number 26 in India, winning the battle 21-19, 14-21, 21-18. The U-19 Girls singles final was a contrasting match with Janhavi Mahale cruising to a facile 21-18, 21-1 win over Nidhi Desai.
The match of the day was the U-19 boys doubles final as Yash Desai and Ashmeet Parsekar came back strongly from a set down to win their maiden doubles title in this section. The young duo, who train at the Khelo India Centre of Excellence at Campal, upset top seeds Yash Halarnkar/Aryaman Saraf, winning 13-21, 21-18, 21-17. Fallary brothers Tejan and Arjun continued with their winning ways, registering a comfortable 21-16, 21-11 win over Sanath Kamat and Arjun Chauhan to win their third successive men’s doubles title. Tejan and Yasmin Sayed combined in Senior Mixed doubles to record a 10-21, 21-13, 21-11 over a gritty Ayaan shaikh/Anar Singbal.
In other results, Nidhi Desai/Janhavi Mahale defeated Pratishtha Shenoy/Synnovia D'Souza 21-9, 21-7 to win the U-19 Girls doubles title, Yash Halarnkar/Nidhi Desai fought hard to put it across Aryaman Saraf/Minoshka Pereira 21-18, 18-21, 21-16 in U-19 Mixed doubles, while Janhavi Mahale/Anjana Kumari bt Anar Singbal/Yasmin Sayed 21-17, 11-21, 21-16 in Women’s doubles.
Janhavi Mahale emerged with a triple crown while Tejan Fallary, Anjana Kumari and Nidhi Desai won double crowns each. Shaheen CK was awarded as the most promising player of the tournament.
The annual event was organised in the memory of late Rasik Painguinkar, one of Goa’s foremost men’s singles champions and a legendary name in Goa’s badminton circles. Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar, Ajay Gaude, Executive Director SAG, Rasik Memorial Trustees Kamlini Painguinkar, Tanuja Painguinkar, Raju Painguinkar and Anil Painguinkar and Goa Badminton Association officials Narahar Thakur (President) and Sandeep Heble (Secretary) graced the closing function among others.
Results (finals): Under-19 Girls Singles - Janhavi Mahale bt Nidhi Desai 21-18, 21-1; Under-19 Boys Singles - Harsh Mane bt Nishant Shenai 21-19, 14-21, 21-18; Under-19 Girls Doubles - Nidhi Desai/Janhavi Mahale bt Pratishtha Shenoy/Synnovia D'Souza 21-9, 21-7; Under-19 Boys Doubles - Yash Desai/Ashmeet Parsekar bt Yash Halarnkar/Aryaman Saraf 13-21, 21-18, 21-17; Under-19 Mixed Doubles - Yash Halarnkar/Nidhi Desai bt Aryaman Saraf/Minoshka Pereira 21-18, 18-21, 21-16; Women's Singles - Anjana Kumari bt Janhavi Mahale 21-15, 21-23, 21-15; Men's Singles - Karan Dhavaskar bt Umakant Sarge 21-18, 21-19; Women's Doubles - Janhavi Mahale/Anjana Kumari bt Anar Singbal/Yasmin Sayed 21-17, 11-21, 21-16; Men's Doubles - Tejan Fallary/Arjun Fallary bt Sanath Kamat/Arjun Chauhan 21-16, 21-11; Senior Mixed Doubles - Tejan Fallary/Yasmin Sayed bt Ayaan Shaikh/Anar Singbal 10-21, 21-13, 21-11.
