Tennis Premier League: Niki Poonacha, Ramkumar Ramanathan help Mumbai Leon Army reach finals

Hyderabad Strikers and Mumbai Leon Army rode on their better men’s doubles teams to set up a title clash in the Tennis Premier League at the Celebration Club on Saturday.

Niki Poonacha and Ramkumar Ramanathan put Mumbai Leon Army into the final of the Tennis Premier League on Saturday.

Hyderabad Strikers and Mumbai Leon Army rode on their better men’s doubles teams to set up a title clash in the Tennis Premier League at the Celebration Club on Saturday.

Karman Kaur and Arjun Kadhe put the foundation for Hyderabad’s win against Chennai Stallions in the semifinal. Karman beat Samantha Sharan, and Arjun tied with Sidharth Rawat.

Purav Raja and Samantha brought Chennai back into the contest by winning the mixed doubles, before Vishnu and Arjun sealed it by beating Purav and Sidharth 12-8 in the last doubles.

In the other match, the flow of the contest was more incredible, as each of the first three matches were tied 10-10. Eventually, Mumbai dethroned Pune as Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Niki Poonacha won the decisive doubles 12-8 against Divij Sharan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth.  

The results: Semifinals: Hyderabad Strikers bt Chennai Stallions 42-38 (Karman Kaur bt Samantha Sharan 11-9; Arjun Kadhe tied Sidharth Rawat 10-10; Vishnu Vardhan & Karman lost to Purav Raja & Samantha 9-11; Vishnu & Arjun bt Purav & Sidharth 12-8). Mumbai Leon Army bt Pune Jaguars 42-38 (Sowjanya Bavisetti tied Rutuja 10-10; Ramkumar Ramanathan tied Saketh Myneni 10-10; Sowjanya & Niki Poonacha tied Ishaque Eqbal & Rutuja 10-10; Ramkumar & Poonacha bt Saketh & Ishaque 12-8). League: Rajasthan Tigers bt Gujarat Panthers 41-39 (Diana Marcinkevica bt Valeriya Strakhova 11-9; Prajnesh Gunneswaran bt Vijay Sudnar Prashtnth 12-8; Aryan Goveas & Diana lost to Divij & Valeriya 6-14; Prajnesh & Aryan bt Divij & Vijay Sundar 12-8). Bengaluru Spartans tied Delhi Binny’s Briade 40-40 (Sabina Sharipova bt Peangtarn Plipuech 11-9; Sriram Balaji bt Yuki Bhambri 12-8; Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan & Sabina lost to Manish Sureshkumar & Peangtarn 5-15; Jeevan & Balaji bt Manish & Yuki 12-8).