BAI National selection trials: Aakarshi, Ashmita set up awaited clash; Priyanshu to challenge Kiran

In the women’s doubles, favourite Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa and the younger pair of Tressa Jolly and Gayathri Gopichand won their matches in straight games.

File image of Ashmita Chaliha.

Aakarshi Kashyap and Ashmita Chaliha won for the second time in the league to set up their much-anticipated clash in the women’s singles top-four group of the BAI National selection badminton trials at the K. D. Jadhav hall at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex here on Tuesday.

Aakarshi needed three games to down Unnati Hooda as did Ashmita against Aditi Bhatt. In the deciding games, Aakarshi and Ashmita stayed in control and never faced a serious threat.

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In the men’s section, Priyanshu Rajawat staved off a spirited Ravi in three games to clash with Kiran George in the match to decide the group-topper.

In the women’s doubles, favourite Sikki Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa and the younger pair of Tressa Jolly and Gayathri Gopichand won their matches in straight games.

However, in the mixed doubles, Sikki and her partner K. Sai Pratheek lost both matches on this day. Sikki’s husband Sumeeth, in partnership with Ashwini, emerged victorious in both matches.

In men’s doubles, too, Sumeeth stayed in the hunt for a place in the Indian team with partner Manu Attri. Sumeeth-Attri pair battled from the brink of defeat to win 22-20 in the decider against Ishan Bhatnagar and Pratheek. M. R. Arjun and Dhruv Kapila won their match in straight games to stay in the race for the top spot.

League results (top-four group):

Men singles: Priyanshu Rajawat bt Ravi 21-17, 7-21, 21-13.

Women singles: Aakarshi Kashyap bt Unnati Hooda 21-19, 21-23, 21-11; Ashmita Chaliha bt Aditi Bhatt 21-10, 18-21, 21-11.

Men doubles: Manu Attri-Sumeeth Reddy bt Ishaan Bhatnagar-K. Sai Pratheek 21-12, 17-21, 22-20; M. R. Arjun-Dhruv Kapila bt Krishna Prasad-Vishnuvardhan Goud 21-13, 21-14.

Women doubles: Sikki Reddy-Ashwini Ponnappa bt Tanisha Crasto-Shruti Mishra 21-10, 21-17; Tressa Jolly-Gayathri Gopichand bt Simran Singhi-Ritika Thaker 21-11, 21-13.

Mixed doubles: Sumeeth Reddy-Ashwini Ponnappa bt K. Sai Pratheek-Sikki Reddy 21-10, 21-17;  Ishaan Bhatnagar-Tanisha Crasto bt Prateek Ranade and Akshya Warang 21-15, 21-12; Ishaan-Tanisha bt Pratheek-Sikki
21-13, 21-18; Sumeeth-Ashwini bt Pratik-Akshaya 21-17, 21-4.