Shuttlers Keep Hosts' Title Hopes Alive

KOCHI: Kerala ensured at least two silver medals in badminton as their men’s and women’s teams booked their spots in the finals on the opening day of the competition at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Monday.

While the Kerala eves — who drubbed Maharashtra 2-0 in semifinal — will take on Telangana, their men’s team — who beat Uttar Pradesh 3-2 in the semi  —  will square off with Maharashtra on Tuesday to defend their titles. In the semifinal, Kerala’s PC Thulasi handed down a straight-sets defeat to Maharashtra’s Sayali Gokhale 21-10, 21-13. Later, their doubles pair Arathi Sara Sunil and Aparna Balan beat Maharashtra duo Prajakta Sawant and Sanyogita Ghorpade 18-21, 21-14, 21-13. In round one, the Kerala women beat Uttar Pradesh 2-0. Again P C Thulasi won her singles against Sara Naqvi 21-7, 21-9, while the doubles pair got the better of UP’s Riya Mukherjee and Prajakta Sawant, 18-21, 21-14, 21-13.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com