Saha, More triump Elsa Jacob claims fine doubles crown

Pune, July 19 (UNI) Ratikant Saha of West Bengal and Sonal More of Maharashtra won the junior boys and girls singles titles in contrasting styles, while promising Daya Elsa Jacob of Kerala claimed a fine doubles crown in the mini girls section today in the Kirloskar Brothers sponsored Sushant Chipalkatti memorial All India Junior Badminton Championship which concluded at the Western India Enterprise complex here.

Unseeded Ratikant Saha kept up his winning spree by downing a resolute R M V Guru Sai Dutt of Andhra Pradesh in a fully stretched struggle 21-15, 20-22, 21-9 to lift the junior boys singles title. On the other hand, Sonal after suffering a reverse in the opening game made a remarkable recovery to get the better of Anita Ohlan of Indian Railways 11-21, 21-19 21-11 to claim the girls singles crown.

The promising teenager Elsa Jacob from Kerala was in excellent form and won the mini girls singles overcoming a stiff resistance from Gauri Ghate of Maharashtra in a tight match at 21-16, 17-21, 23-21. Later pairing with M Chandana of Andhra Pradesh, she went on to capture the mini girls doubles getting the better of the Andhra Pradesh combination of P V Sandhu and Leela Lakshmi 21-9, 21-12 and in the process completed a fine double.

Guru Sai Dutt who lost to Saha in the junior boys singles final however, had the consolation of winning the junior boys doubles in the company of statemate K Tarun. The Andhra Pradesh pair won the doubles as the rival combination of Arun Vishnu and Ram C Vijay of Kerala conceded after Arun suffered an ankle injury in the third game trailing 1-3 after the rivals were 1-1 games all.

Gauri Ghate who had sent fourth seeded Sheshadari Sanyal of West Bengal packing in the semi-finals last night, however, failed to produce the same form today. In contrast, Elsa Jacob's mixed aggression and defence went to claim the opening game 21-16. Ghate, however, came back by winning the second game 21-17. The third game was fought on even terms but Elsa showed better nerves to claim the decider 23-21 and the crown which she richly deserved.

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