Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MAPUSA: Goa’s senior shuttlers putting up commendable performances as they advanced to the pre-quarterfinals across multiple categories, at the ongoing 47th Indian Masters National Badminton Championship at the Peddem multipurpose stadium, here, on Friday.
Roseline Bunyan (WS 65+), Manjiri Moktali (WS 55+), and Rupchandra Humraskar (MS 60+) delivered strong straight-game victories to progress to the next round.
Goa's Tanaji Sawant (MS 70+) fought hard in a three-game battle before securing his spot, while Pradeep Dhond (MS 70+), Satish Dhondu Kudchadkar (MS 75+), and the doubles pair of J D’Souza and K Prabhakar (MD 70+) ensured Goa’s presence remained strong in the later stages of the competition.
The mixed doubles pair of Pradeep Dhond and Judy Fernandes (XD 60+) also advanced with a convincing win.
As the championship shifted focus to the higher age groups of 55+ to 75+, some of India’s top veteran players showcased their dominance.
Ram Lakhan (PNB) (1) displayed his class in MS 60+, securing a clinical win, while Ramzauva K. (Mizoram) (3) overcame a spirited challenge from Goa’s Manish Patel.
In MS 70+, Balbir Singh Jamwal (J&K) (1) and Anil Kumar Sondhi (Chhattisgarh) (3) navigated their way into the next round, with the latter grinding out a tough three-game match.
Sanjay Srivastava (Uttar Pradesh) (1) looked in control in MS 65+, while Parun Singh H (Manipur) (2) survived a scare before sealing his spot in the MS 70+ pre-quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, top-seeded Rajeev Sharma (CAG) (1) continued his smooth run in MS 55+, alongside Sanyasi Rao Ch (Andhra Pradesh) (2), who dominated his match. In MS 75+, Basant Kumar Shikari (Madhya Pradesh) (2) showed his class with a commanding win.