TENNIS
Myneni-Ramkumar duo win doubles title at Challenger event in Seoul
Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan won the doubles title at the ATP 100 Challenger event in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday.
The Indian duo, who won the silver medal at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games, beat American Vasil Kirkov and Dutchman Bart Stevens 6-4, 4-6 (10-3) in the final.
This is the second title this year and third overall for Myneni and Ramkumar as a duo. They had won the Bengaluru Open in 2022 and the Chennai Open this season.
-Team Sportstar
Arjun Rathi and Sreenidhi Balaji win titles in Kenya
Arjun Rathi, male champion of the ITF junior tennis tournament in Nairobi. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Arjun Rathi, male champion of the ITF junior tennis tournament in Nairobi. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Arjun Rathi dominated second seed Aarjun Pandit in the men’s final of the ITF junior tennis tournament in Nairobi, Kenya on Sunday.
Unseeded Arjun, who was playing his first tournament this year after recovering from an injury, defeated Japanese top seed Hikaru Takahashi in the quarterfinals and third seed Samarth Sahita in the semifinals, in three sets each.
Sreenidhi defeated compatriot Diya Ramesh in the final after losing the first set. She also won the doubles title partnering Jannat Chiripal.
The results:
Boys (final): Arjun Rathi against Aarjun Pandit 6-0, 6-3; Semi-finals: Arjun against Samarth Sahita 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; Aarjun against Matthew Upton (GBR) 7-6(5), 7-6(5).
Doubles (final): Nikolas Baker (Aus) & Samarth Sahita against Dan Brand & Guy Leviner (Isr) 3-6, 7-5, (10-7).
Girls (final): Sreenidhi Balaji against Diya Ramesh 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Semi-finals: Sreenidhi against Harithashree Venkatesh 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Diya against Anouk Vandevelde (Bel) 6-2, 6-0.
Doubles (final): Sreenidhi Balaji & Jannat Chiripal against Ena Ilic (Srb) & Alice Iozzi (Ita) 6-7(6), 6-3, (10-6).
-Kamesh Srinivasan
Moselle Open: Nagal, injured, leaves the first round
Sumit Nagal’s Moselle Open campaign ended in disappointment as he bowed out while trailing in the second set of his first-round match against Frenchman Corentin Moutet on Saturday. Nagal was leading 5-7, 0-4 when he had to withdraw from the contest.
The 27-year-old Indian, who reached the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year, appeared to be in control with a 5-2 lead in the first set after breaking Moutet.
However, the momentum changed dramatically when Nagal lost nine straight games, eventually losing the first set 5-7.
In the second set, the Frenchman maintained his dominance, breaking Nagal twice to take a 4-0 lead before Nagal retired.
The victory marks Moutet’s fourth victory over Nagal in their six meetings, with the last clash taking place at the Paris Olympics earlier this year, where Moutet also emerged victorious.
-PTI
GOLF
Diksha finishes tied 29th as Hull take title
Indians Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs faced contrasting fortunes even as Charley Hull produced a superb performance at the Aramco Team Series to take a final round of 66 (-6) and win by three shots on a par 18 under normal here on Sunday.
Diksha posted her best round of the week with a 3-under 69 to move up to 29th at the end of the tournament, while Pranavi (76) slipped to 44th. Diksha made four birdies against one bogey, while Pranavi made one birdie against five bogeys.
Charley Hull, who was two shots behind Pia Babnik before the start of the final day’s play, started on an excellent note at Riyadh Golf Club, making five birdies on his first seven holes to exit in 31 (-5) and lead by four.
With his opponents unable to follow suit, Hull took victory on the back nine by making three more birdies and losing two shots to complete a three-shot victory. Behind Hull, in second place was the Dane Nicole Broch Estrup (67).
Chiara Tamburlini, who missed the cut last week at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, clinched the season rankings on Saturday after finishing T-7 to take her total to 2,718.44 points. She became the first Swiss player in history to win Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year honors.
After a sensational display, Hull climbed to third place in the 2024 LET Order of Merit.
-PTI
Rashid finishes tied for 25th, Canadian Lee wins title in Jakarta
Indian golfer Rashid Khan, who was third at the halfway point, fell short in the final two rounds with 72-71 and finished tied for 25th at the BNI Indonesian Masters here on Sunday.
Rashid (67-67-72-71) totaled 11 under while fellow Indian SSP Chawrasia (68) was T-41st at 7 under and 2023 champion Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) was T-44th.
Canadian Richard T. Lee finally ended his long and frustrating seven-year wait for a third victory on the Asian Tour when he recorded a fine four-shot wire-to-wire victory.
After dozens of chances to win again following his success at the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open, he was relieved to prevail at Royale Jakarta Golf Club after shooting a final two-under-par 70 for a four-round total of 23 cents.
Chang Wei-lun of Chinese Taipei and Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand took second place, after both carding 64.
Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent finished fourth after a 67.
Lee was six ahead at the start of the day and was on cruise control after being seven ahead at the turn. A weather delay of an hour and a half, which occurred while he was at hole 10, did not succeed in destabilizing him.
-PTI
POLO
Baria Cup: Daniel Otamendi scores five goals
Daniel Otamendi scored five goals to help the Achievers beat Cavalry-Navy 8-4 in the final of the Baria Cup polo tournament at the Army Equestrian Centre, Delhi Cantonment, on Sunday.
The (final) results: Achievers 8 (Daniel Otamendi 5, Vishwarupe Bajaj 3) bt Cavalry-Navy 4 (Dhruvpal Godara 2, Vishal Chauhan, ARS Warraich).
-Kamesh Srinivasan
HOCKEY
Nehru Girls Tournament: Nousheen Naz scores four points for Kiddy’s Corner Girls Higher Secondary School
Nousheen Naz scored four goals as she helped Kiddy’s Corner Girls Higher Secondary School, Gwalior, to a 13-0 win over Mata Rukmani Government Secondary School, Dimrapal, Chhattisgarh, in a 30th Super League match Charanjit Rai Nehru women’s hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium on Sunday.
The results (super-league):
Branch NCC 6 (Nancy Saroha 3, Ravina 2, Vanshika) bt Government Inter College, BHEL, Haridwar, 1 (Kehkasha Ali).
Victory English School, Thenzawl, Mizoram, 9 (Manglawsmang 3, Vanlalrinhlui 2, Vanlalpeki, Lalruatsiami, Laltlachhungi, Laldinpuii) by GV Raja Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kiddy’s Corner Girls HSS, Gwalior, 13 (Nousheen Naz 4, Sujata Jayant 2, Krishna Sharma 3, Radhika Dandotiya, Keshar Bhabar, Sallu Pukhrambam, Tanvi) bt Mata Rukmani Government SSS, Dimrapal, Chhattisgarh, 0.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
