FOOTBALL
I-League: Mohammedan Sporting holds Aizawl FC to 2-2 draw
A brace each from Marcus Joseph and Henry Kisekka produced one of the best games of this season as Mohammedan Sporting held Aizawl FC to a 2-2 draw in an I-League match on Friday.
It was Aizawl, which came to life at the half-hour mark, taking the lead through a towering header from Henry, which was later matched by a scintillating left-footed strike from the home team captain Marcus just seconds from half-time.
The two strikers added a goal each from set-pieces in the second half, with Joseph’s equaliser coming from the last kick of the match to salvage Mohammedan’s unbeaten home record.
-PTI
TENNIS
Arystanbekova and Nupbay wins women’s doubles
Jangjun Kim of Korea knocked out top seed Adhithya Ganesan 7-5, 6-3 in the boys semifinals of the ITF junior tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex on Friday.
Moving with energy and hitting with intensity, the Korean stopped the American of Indian origin with a clinical performance. Adhithya recovered from being down 1-4 in the first set to be on par, but found the Korean a hard nut to crack, as the match progressed In the other semifinal, Ivan Lutkin of Russia retired early in the second set, owing to a hip strain, against compatriot Timofei Derepasko.
In the girls section, top seed Ashton Bowers overcame the teasing game of Indira Lepage of Belgium, with patience and a strong game, to win in straight sets. Ashton was unable to serve out the match in the tenth and 12th games of the second set, as the wiry Belgian sustained the fight, but the American handled the eventual tie-break with competence.
In the final, Ashton will play Vlada Mincheva of Russia, who eased past the other American, Alexia Harmon, for the loss of three games.
The boys doubles title was won by top seeds Aayush Bhat and Amir Milushev, while the girls doubles title was won by third seeds Asylzhan Arystanbekova and Aiya Nupbay.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Yuki and Saketh in Challenger doubles final
NEW DELHI: Top seeds Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni beat fourth seeds Marek Gengel and Adam Pavlasek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6(3) in the doubles semifinals of the $80,000 Challenger tennis tournament in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Friday.
In the final, Yuki and Saketh will play Christopher Rungkat and Akira Santillan.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
SHOOTING
National seletion trials
NEW DELHI: Esha Singh came up with a strong performance from start to finish to emerge on top in women’s air pistol in the National shooting selection trials at the Dr Karni Singh Range, Tughlakabad, on Friday.
After topping qualification with 581, two points ahead of Rhythm Sangwan, the 17-year-old Esha topped the semifinals with 249.3 and beat the reigning national champion Divya TS 16-14 in the climax. Esha shot 10.0 to 9.9 by Divya, to clinch the top spot, after the two were tied 14-14.
Photo of Divya TS, champion Esha Singh, Yashaswini Deswal (from left to right) in air pistol in the National shooting selection trials in Delhi. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Olympian Yashaswini Singh Deswal made it to third place ahead of Shikha Narwal, while Rhythm, Padma Devaram, Malaika Goel and Yashika Goel got eliminated in the semifinals.
In men’s air pistol, Sarabjot Singh beat Shiva Narwal 17-11 for the top spot, after having qualified on top with 587.
In the men’s rifle 3-position event, World Cup gold medallist Akhil Sheoran was brilliant as he beat Olympic quota winner Swapnil Kusale 17-11, after having scored an impressive 592 in qualification.
Olympian Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, who had topped the first trial, shot 594 in qualification but placed fifth eventually, behind Olympians Chain Singh and Sanjeev Rajput.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
FENCING
Haryana boys and girls overall champions in sub-junior fencing
Haryana won the overall championship in the boys and girls sections in the 24 th National sub-junior fencing championship which concluded at the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium here on Friday.
-STAN RAYAN
