Upcoming tennis player of the city Akshat Dakshindas displayed his immense talent by reaching the semifinals of the Nagpur District Hardcourt Tennis Association (NDHTA)-organized U-12 and U-14 home tennis tournament which commenced at the Ram Nagar-based MSLTA Tennis Academy courts here on Sunday.
Ten-year-old Akshat stormed into the U-12 boys singles semifinals with utmost ease. The talented boy excelled in the U-14 boys singles also by making it to the quarterfinals.
In the U-12 boys quarter-finals, Akshat Dakshindas blanked Mahum Talib 6-0. In other quarters, Mehul Fulzele defeated Manvendra Trivedi 6-3, Parth Rai thumped Ayaan Puri 6-1, while Daksh Patil got the better of Atharva Jaiswal 6-1.
Akshat will take on Devagya Madan for a spot in the semifinal on Sunday. In the other quarters which took place on Saturday, Sejal Bhutada downed Aayansh Bal 6-2, Parth Rai dismissed Alok Mishra 6-0, while Daksh Patil prevailed over Bhavya Porwal 6-2. Semifinals and finals will be held on Sunday morning from 9 am.
Earlier, leading industrialist and veteran tennis player of the city Prafulla Shiwalkar inaugurated the NDHTA Home Tennis Tournament alongwith Ashok Bhiwapurkar at the MSLTA Tennis Academy, Ram Nagar. This two-day tourney for U-12 and U-14 boys and girls is being held after a long gap of 10 months.
Shiwalkar encouraged the young players to give their best and maintain a one point agenda to win the game. The excitement on the faces of young players was a treat to the eyes as they were coming back into competitive sports after a long gap due to the pandemic. Even parents were so happy that a local tournament was getting such a huge response and so they thanked the organizers for holding the tournament.
Vijay Naidu and Vikram Naidu were present on behalf of NDHTA. Among the parents, Srusti Nanda and Digvijay Mishra expressed their happiness with the organizers while Rakesh Tumane, director finance, MOIL, came personally to encourage his son.
Restaurant owner Anjan Puri was very pleased with the arrangements. Dr Manjiri Dakshindas was all smiles as her son Akshat stormed into the semifinals in the U-12 category. Dr Parinita Fuke, parent and corporator, encouraged both her children and was happy that the tournaments have started once again.
Tournament supervisor Vishal Landge conducted the matches and tournament umpire Navin More ensured that the games were played without any hitch.
RESULTS
Under-12 boys and girls (Round 1): Anuj Didolkar bt Yashsavi Fuke 6-3, Mahaum Talib bt Riya Chaudhary 6-1, Nischay Saklani bt Vansh Bhute 6-1, Adi Bhusari bt Rishi Chaudhary 6-0, Mehul Fulzele bt Ishan Kamthewad 6-0, Atharva Jaiswal bt Debashree Dagwar 6-0, Shubhay Saklani bt Yug Singhvi 6-1, Mishka Tayade bt Iya Katiyar 6-0, Daksh Patil bt Suchita Tripathi 6-0, Shiv Tumne bt Arya Dagwar 6-4, Parth Rai bt Shaswat Nanda 6-1, Abhimanyu Umre bt Samar Patil 6-0.
Round 2: Akshat Dakshindas bt Anuj Didolkar 6-0, Mahum Talib bt Alok Mishra 6-0, Manvendra Trivedi bt Nischay Saklani 6-2, Mehul Fulzele bt Adi Bhusari 6-1, Aatharva Jaiswal bt Shubhay Saklani 6-5 (7-5), Daksh Patil bt Mishka Tayade 6-1, Parth Rai bt Shiv Tumane 6-0, Ayaan Puri bt Abhimanyu Umre 6-1.
Quarter-finals: Akshat Dakshindas bt Mahum Talib 6-0, Mehul Fulzele bt Manvendra Trivedi 6-3, Parth Rai bt Ayaan Puri 6-1, Daksh Patil bt Atharva Jaiswal 6-1.
Under-14 boys and girls (Round 1): Shaswat Nanda bt Harshit Periwal 6-3, Rushikesh Shendre bt Haider Ali 6-4, Yatharth Fuke bt Piyush Panjwani 6-5 (7-5), Shrinivas Nandanpawar bt Yug Singhvi 6-2, Suchita Tripathi bt Mishka Tayade 6-0, Shaurya Chauhan bt Riya Chaudhary 6-3, Devagya Madan bt Chirag Somani 6-3, Atharva Jaiswal bt Mehul Fulzele 6-1.
Round 2: Sejal Bhutada bt Shaswat Nanda 6-1, Aayansh Bal bt Rushikesh Shendre 6-5 (7-4), Alok Mishra bt Yatharth Fuke 6-2, Parth Rai bt Shrinivas Nanda 6-0, Bhavya Porwal bt Mishka Tatyade 6-4, Daksh Patil bt Shaurya Chauhan 6-1, Devagya Madan bt Atharva Jaiswal 6-2, Akshat Dakshindas bt Manvendra Trivedi 6-3.
Quarter-finals: Sejal Bhutada bt Aayansh Bal 6-2, Parth Rai bt Alok Mishra 6-0, Daksh Patil bt Bhavya Porwal 6-2, Akshat Dakshindas vs Devagya Madan (yet to play).
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