Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Mohammed Umar Shaikh, Sparsh Kolwalkar, Devansh Sakpal, Ritika Chelluri and Pragya Audi booked their final berths in the State Badminton Ranking Tournament 2025 organised by Panjim Badminton Club and Panaji Krida Sankul in collaboration with the North Goa District Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa, under the aegis of the Goa Badminton Association at the Indoor Stadium, Campal, here, on Tuesday.
In the boys U-15 section, top seed Mohammed lived up to his billing, outsmarting third seed Atharv Sadaye 21-16, 21-18 in the semi-finals, while Sparsh Kolwalkar stunned fourth seed Arnav Saraf 21-16, 21-13 to advance to the title clash.
Earlier in the quarter-finals, Umar had beaten Vihaan Naik 21-14, 21-19, Atharv got the better of Vishwa Parab 21-13, 21-13, Sparsh defeated fourth seed Neil Punjanibakshi 21-8, 21-12 and Arnav overcame Ateendra Gaonkar 21-10, 21-16.
In the girls U-15, third seed Pragya Audi created the biggest upset, ousting top seed Dimple Revankar 12-21, 21-19, 21-15 to storm into the final.
The earlier rounds saw Dimple ease past Ashbah Tahasildar 21-7, 21-14, Pragya edge out Avni Khyalia 21-19, 21-19, Anaya Kamat shocked fourth seed Palak Ramnathkar 21-10, 21-14 and Niharika Parwar beat Aaryaa Metry 21-5, 21-13.
In boys U-17, third seed Devansh Sakpal produced a spirited comeback to beat Advait Balakrishnan 11-21, 21-13, 21-12 in the semi-finals, setting up a summit clash against top seed Aarush Pawaskar, who had earlier defeated Devaj Vaingankar 21-17, 21-8 in the quarter-finals.
The other quarter-finals results saw Vansh Khedkar upset third seed Sudhanva Udupa 21-12, 21-10 and Devansh account for fourth seed Atharv Sadaye 21-6, 21-11.
In girls U-17, top seed Ritika Chelluri moved past third seed Saanvi Audi 21-14, 21-18 to reach the final, while quarter-finals’ winners included Ritika over Niharika Parwar 21-13, 21-12, Saanvi against Astha Poudel 21-7, 18-21, 21-4, Sufiya Shaikh beating Komal Kothari 21-6, 21-5 and fourth seed Dimple Revankar edging out Shivanjali Thite 24-22, 22-20.