JOIN USLocal boy Arjun Honappa, seeded eighth, breezed into the title round of the KTTPA-AITA under-18 championship series tennis tournament after a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Delhi’s Sheikh Mohd Iftikar on Thursday.
Arjun will now face Theyjos Oges in the final after the Tamil Nadu lad easily overcame state-mate Yeshwanth Lognathan 6-1, 6-3 in the other semifinal.
In the girls’ event, top seed Rashmka Rajan was forced to pull out due to an ankle injury, leaving her opponent Krithika Umesh to face SB Apoorva for the crown. The Karnataka girl beat second seed Prathibha PN 7-5, 6-2 in their semi clash.
Tamil Nadu pair clinched the boys’ and girls’ doubles events. While M Hariharan and Nidish defeated Deepak Senthil Kumar and Krishna Teja 2-6, 6-4, 10-3, the girls’ doubles team of Sruthi Laxman and Divya Vani were made to work for their 7-6 (5), 7-5 win over Apoorva and Krithika.
Results: Boys (singles semifinals): Arjun Honnappa (Kar) bt Sheikh Mohd Iftikar (Del) 6-3, 6-1; Theyjos Oges (TN) bt Yeshwanth Lognathan (TN) 6-1, 6-3;
Doubles final: M Hariharan/ Nidish (TN) bt Deepak Senthil Kumar/ Krishna Teja (TN) 2-6, 6-4, 10-3.
Semifinals: M Hariharan/ Nidish bt Rahul Shankar/ Sai Pranav Ponaka (Kar) 6-4, 4-6, 10-6; Deepak Senthil Kumar/ Krishna Teja bt Sansidh Komaraju/ Yeshwanth Loganathan (TN) 6-2, 6-3.
Girls: (singles semifinals): SB Apoorva bt Prathibha PN 7-5, 6-2; Krithika Umesh C (Mah) bt Rashmka Rajan (Kar) 4-4 (retd).
Doubles final: Sruthi Laxman/ Divya Vani (TN) bt SB Apoorva (Kar)/ Krithika( Mah ) 7-6 (5), 7-5.