Top seed Gopika favourite to lift under-16 National title

New Delhi, Oct 7 (UNI) Local girl Gopika Kapoor will start as a strong contender to win the under-16 title as the DSCL Open National tennis junior events commence at the DLTA facility here tomorrow.

After the pulsating action in the men's, ladies, and under-18 events last week, the Nationals will now see several juniors showcasing their talent in the second week of the tournament.

Gopika, who has been playing regularly in the ITF junior circuit, is the top seed in the under-16 category, while Rishika Sunkara is seeded second.

However, Rishika has a realistic chance of winning two titles here as she is the top seed in the under-14 girls' section, while Natasha Palha of Goa is the second seed.

In the under-14 boys' category, Rohit Bisht is the top seed and and Mohit Mayur is seeded second.

The junior events, which have witnessed the likes of talented players like Sania Mirza and Uzma Khan in the past, offers no prize money. Instead, scholarship money and daily allowances would be given by the organisers.

UNI