National Tennis Championship 2024: Yash beats Sureshkumar to enter quarterfinals; Vaidehi into women’s quarters

In the quarterfinals, Yash will play the young Rethin Pranav, the lucky loser who extended his run by beating Ajay Malik for the loss of five games.

Serving smart and hitting fluently on both the flanks, Yash, who has generally been competing in the qualifying events of the international tournaments in the last three years, revealed tons of grit to beat the crafty Sureshkumar. | Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan

Yash Chaurasia saved four match points and pulled bravely past the second seed and former champion Manish Sureshkumar 0-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(4) in the men’s pre-quarterfinals of the Fenesta National tennis championship at the DLTA Complex on Wednesday.

Serving smart and hitting fluently on both the flanks, the 22-year-old Yash, who has generally been competing in the qualifying events of the international tournaments in the last three years, revealed tons of grit to beat the crafty Sureshkumar.

After the indifferent start, Yash did lead 5-3 in the second set and he did so in the third set as well. But, Sureshkumar, ever the fighter, pulled on par both the times to force the tie-break. In the second set, Yash saved a match point in the 12th game, and three more in the tie-break to be on par.

In the decider, Yash handled the tie-break much better as he led 4-1 and 5-3 before closing it out, even as Sureshkumar struggled to stay on his feet.

In the quarterfinals, Yash will play the young Rethin Pranav, the lucky loser who extended his run by beating Ajay Malik for the loss of five games.

Top seed Vishnu Vardhan warded off a stiff challenge from Bhicky Sagolshem of Manipur in three sets, and will face another talent from Manipur, Bushan Haobam who put out former champion V.M. Ranjeet for the loss of four games.

Nitin Kumar Sinha, Raghav Jaisinghani, Keerthivassan Suresh and Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam were the others to make the quarterfinals.

In the women’s section, qualifier Maaya Rajeshwaran set up a quarterfinal against Humera Baharmus. Vaidehi Chaudhari, Riya Bhatia, Aditi Rawat, Akanksha Nitture and Yubrani Banerjee were the others to reach the quarterfinals.

The results (pre-quarterfinals):

Men: Vishnu Vardhan bt Bhicky Sagolshem 6-3, 5-7, 6-2; Bushan Haobam bt VM Ranjeet 6-1, 6-3; Nitin Kumar Sinha bt Kabir Hans 7-6(5), 6-2; Raghav Jaisinghani bt Shashank Theertha 6-0, 3-0 (retired); Keerthivassan Suresh bt Abhinansu Borthakur 6-4, 6-3; Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam bt Dheeraj Srinivasan 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-0; Rethin Pranav bt Ajay Malik 6-4, 6-1; Yash Chaurasia bt Manish Sureshkumar 0-6, 7-6(8), 7-6(4).

Women: Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Riya Sachdeva 6-0, 6-0; Aditi Rawat bt N Harshini 6-2, 6-2; Akanksha Nitture bt Medhavi Singh 6-2, 6-2; Humera Baharmus bt Sejal Bhutada 6-2, 6-4; Maaya Rajeshwaran bt Saumya Ronde 6-3, 6-0; Yubrani Banerjee bt Laxmi Siri Dandu 4-0 (retired); Riya Bhatia bt Nemha Sarah Kispotta 6-2, 6-2.