the goan I network
PANAJI
Former State champion Sandhya Melashami entered the women’s singles and doubles semi-finals at the 43rd Indian Masters (Veteran) National Badminton Championships 2018-19, at multi-purpose stadium, Peddem, Mapusa.
In the women’s singles 35+, Sandhya upset eighth seed Himani Punia Sharma 21-6, 21-6 to move into the last four. In women’s doubles 35+ category, Sandhya M and Aditi Rode from Maharashtra played brilliantly to knock out second-seeded pairing of Rekha Devi A and Miranda Devi Rajkumari, winning 21-13, 21-16.
Former Goa champions, Pednekar siblings, Ashutosh and Leena, who now represent Maharashtra, also made it to the last four in their respective categories. In the mixed doubles 45+, Ashutosh Pednekar partnering Naheed Divecha, who are seeded number one in this championship, put it across Sanyasi Rao Ch / Kavithaa S 21-15, 14-21, 21-11 to advance to the semifinals. In 45+ men’s doubles, Ashutosh Pednekar / Kiran Makode, seeded number two, defeated Deepak Patwardhan / Deepali Joshi 21-12, 23-21 to enter the last four.
Leena Pednekar moved into the women’s 40+ singles and doubles semifinals with convincing wins. In 40+ doubles, Leena who partnered Madhavi Kashikar defeated Prerana Joshi / Anika Lele 21-14, 21-13 while in 40+ singles semis, she upset top seed Swati Chauhan, with a straight sets 21-17, 23-21 scoreline.
With a semifinals place ensuring a qualification spot at the World Masters in Poland, as many as nine Goan players / pairs who had played brilliantly earlier to make it to the quarterfinals had an off day on the courts to bow out and miss a ticket to Poland.
In men’s singles 45+, Jaison Xavier defeated Sandip Kanji (Goa) 21-2, 21-16. In men’s doubles 40+, Sameer Abbasi / Upendra Fadnis defeated Darwin Barreto / Parag Chauhan (Goa) 21-11, 21-7, while in mixed doubles 50+, Murthy A V S / Kavita Dixit defeated Vaman Fallary / Marina Albuquerque (Goa) 19-21, 21-11, 21-9. In women’s doubles 50+, Sonali Parikh / Vanessa Pereira defeated Marina Albuquerque (Goa) / Cicily John 25-27, 17-21.
In men’s singles 60+, Vivek Patil defeated Vamanan K (Goa) 8-21, 21-8, 21-13. In men’s doubles 60+, Bimol Singh Ch / Kumar Singh L were stretched the whole distance before prevailing for a 20-22, 21-17, 21-15 win over Goa’s Vamanan K / Suresh Kumar Raghavan.
In women’s singles 55+, Nipuna Sasidharan defeated Braganza Judy Fernandes (Goa) 21-11, 21-13. In men’s singles 70+, Satish Gupta defeated Dr Satish Kudchadkar (Goa) 21-14, 21-13, while in men’s doubles 70+, Shashipal Sulakhe / Damodar Thombre defeated Dr Satish Kudchadkar (Goa) / Suhel Singh Ghai 21-12, 21-11.
