Champion stuff: Sapphires overcame a sluggish begin to lay its fingers on the trophy.
| Photo Credit: KAMESH SRINIVASAN
Defending champion Gurgaon Sapphires did it but once more, beating Ichiban Samurai 81-56 in the closing of the Pro Tennis League 2023 at the RK Khanna Stadium right here on Sunday.
The entertaining closing noticed Sapphires get off to a troublesome begin. However, the crew battled again via Rithvik Bollipalli, Maan Kesharwani and Sharmada Balu to outscore a facet that had gained every little thing until the closing.
Rithvik was a category act, serving massive and stroking with confidence, as he tamed Nitin Kumar Sinha 18-12. It was an outstanding present by the doubles specialist. Sharmada and Ruma Gaikaiwari just about sealed the tie by beating Sahaja Yamalapalli and Gauri Mangaonkar 15-5.
Leading 77-53 at that stage, Sapphires wanted 4 extra factors to clinch the trophy. Fittingly, it was Rithvik (partnering Maan) who fired an ace on the first championship level (3-3) to shut out the contest in opposition to Nitin Kumar Sinha and Rushil Khosla.
Rushil had finished a great job until the closing, however didn’t get a lot of an opportunity after dropping to Maan Kesharwani 8-12 in the second singles.
For the followers who stayed again, it was an thrilling night of exhilarating tennis, as Gurgaon Sapphires pulled the rug beneath the ft of Ichiban Samurai, with a basic present.
The outcomes: Final: Gurgaon Sapphires bt Ichiban Samurai 81-56 (Sharmada Balu misplaced to Sahaja Yamalapalli 6-14; Maan Kesharwani bt Rushil Khosla 11-9; Ruma Gaikaiwari bt Gauri Mangaonkar 15-5; Sharmada & Suresh Krishna bt Sahaja & Dilip Mohanty 12-8; Rithvik Bollipalli bt Nitin Kumar Sinha 18-12; Sharmada & Ruma bt Sahaja & Gauri 15-5; Rithivik & Maan bt Nitin & Rushil 4-3). Semifinals:Sapphires bt Sankara Stag Babolat Yoddhas 81-64 (Sharmada tied with Sowjanya Bavisetti 10-10; Maan tied Vansh Bisht 10-10; Ruma misplaced to Sahira Singh 8-12; Sharmada & Suresh Krishna bt Sowjanya & Pulkit Mishra 13-7; Rithvik bt Arjun Kadhe 20-10; Sharmada & Ruma misplaced to Sowjanya & Sahira September 11; Rithvik & Maan bt Arjun & Vansh 11-4). Samurai bt Paramount Proec Tigers 81-75 (Sahaja bt Sravya Shivani 13-7; Rushil tied with Parikshit Somani 10-10; Gauri misplaced to Divya Ungrish 7-13; Sahaja & Dilip misplaced to Sravya & Indra Kumar Mahajan 7-13; Nitin Kumar bt Vishnu Vardhan 16-14; Sahaja & Gauri bt Sravya & Divya 11-9; Nitin & Rushil bt Vishnu & Parikshit 17-9).
