K’taka men, boys clinch team titles

Bengaluru: Ayush Shetty scored two crucial victories in singles as Karnataka men and boys (U-19) clinched the team titles at the South Zone inter-state badminton championships in Coimbatore on Saturday. Ayush defeated Siddanth Gupta 21-15, 21-6 in the second singles match after Raghu M won his tie against K Sathish Kumar to put Karnataka in a position of strength in the men's team final against Tamil Nadu. The men’s doubles pair of Nithin HV and Vaibhav T sealed the victory as the team prevailed 3-0. Ayush returned to get the measure of R Anishraj 23-21, 22-20 in the boys team final against Tamil Nadu. Sumith AR and Tushar Suveer failed to clinch the issue in the doubles but Tushar made amends in the deciding singles, putting it across Harish Dandapani in straight games. Karnataka women lost a close final to Andhra Pradesh 3-2. The team led 2-1 after the third match of the tie, which Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam won. But Vijetha Harish's close defeat at the hands of M Akanksha 21-23, 19-21 upset their rhythm and a 51-minute battle which Amrutha P and Gloria V Athavale waged against Rashmitha Donepudi and T Surya Charisma didn't help as the Andhra pair romped home 21-11, 7-21, 21-10. Karnataka girls (U-19) too finished second best, losing to Andhra Pradesh 2-1. Karnataka boys and Andhra Pradesh girls will represent South zone at the All-India junior inter-state badminton championships in Bengaluru next month. Results: Finals: Men: Karnataka 3 bt Tamil Nadu 0 (Raghu M bt K Sathish Kumar 21-14, 21-19; Ayush Shetty bt Siddanth Gupta 21-15, 21-6; Nithin HV / Vaibhav T bt Hariharan / Ruban Kumar 21-8, 21-13). Boys: Karnataka 2 bt Tamil Nadu 1 (Ayush Shetty bt R Anishraj 23-21, 22-20; Sumith AR / Tushar Suveer lost to Ashwath Harish / Bharath Sanjai 13-21, 23-21, 17-21; Tushar bt Harish Dandapani 21-13, 21-19).Women: Andhra Pradesh 3 bt Karnataka 2 (K Navya Kanderi lost to Prerana N Shet 14-21, 17-21; T Surya Charishma bt Neysa Cariappa 21-11, 21-17; L Mamaikya / M Akanksha lost to Ashwini Bhat / Shikha Gautam 8-21, 7-21; M Akansha bt Vijetha Harish 23-21, 21-19; Rashmitha Donepudi / T Surya Charishma bt Amrutha P / Gloria V Athavale 21-11, 7-21, 21-10). Girls: Andhra Pradesh 2 bt Karnataka 1 (T Surya Charishma lost to Neysa Cariappa 21-10, 18-21, 16-21; K Durga Isha / T Surya Charishma bt Jade Anil / Muskaan Khan 12-21, 21-16, 21-13; K Navya Kanderi bt Jade Anil 21-18, 18-21, 21-17.