Mumbai varsity off to flying start in inter-zonal badminton meet

Mumbai, Nov 1 (UNI) Mumbai University got off to a flying start by beating UBS Purvanchal 3-0 in the opening round of the men's team championship in the All India Inter-Zonal Inter-University Badminton Tournament here today.

Pawan Singh and A Sawant won their singles ties in contrasting fashion, while Sawant and Prasad Shetty completed the rout with an easy doubles win.

Mumbai University enjoyed a rewarding opening day when they beat Lucknow University 2-0 in the women's team championship. Sonal More gave Mumbai a dream start when she beat Aneta Mani Tripathi 21-6, 21-14 in the singles and later teamed up with Jui Agaskar to beat Tripathi and Rani 21-8, 21-5 in the doubles.

The tournament, being held on the occasion of the University of Mumbai's sesquicentennial celebrations, features the leading varsity teams from the North, South, East and West zones.

Four teams from each zone have qualified for the Inter Zonals.

Last year's winners Bangalore University and runners-up Calcutta University feature in the men's category that includes 16 teams.

Calicut University will defend their crown in the women's section that also includes last year's runners-up P U Chandigarh in the 16-team draw.

Results (1st round): Men's Team: Mumbai Univ bt UBS Purvanchal 3-0 (Pawan Singh bt Amar Singh 19-21, 21-18, 21-14, A Sawant bt Shahan Ahmed 21-14, 21-7, Sawant/Prasad Shetty bt Singh/Ahmed 21-14, 21-18).

Calcutta Univ bt Nagpur Univ 3-2 (Sandipan Banerji bt Tejas Sontakke 21-13, 16-21, 21-11; Bodhi Priyo Paul lost to Tom Thomas 15-21, 11-21; Sandipan Banerji/Gaurav Das lost to Thomas/Mithilesh Vazalwar 18-21, 14-21; Gaurav Das bt Tushar Bhusari 21-17, 21-16; Aihaik Poul/Anibesh Mondal bt Bhusari/Sontakke 21-16, 21-18).

Delhi Univ bt Anna Univ 3-1 (Rajeev Bajaj bt Prakash Raja 21-16, 21-14; Keshav Sharma bt Vijay Anand 21-11, 21-14; Bajaj/Jain lost to Anand/Aloysious Vijay 16-21, 14-21; Gauravanshu bt Aloysious 21-17, 21-11).

Women's Team: PU Chandigarh bt Shivaji Univ, Kolhapur 2-0 (Manju Chahal bt Juhi Satoskar 21-6, 21-10; Manju C/Navita Thakur bt Juhi/Krupa Mehta 21- 3, 21-8).

Nagarjuna Univ bt VBS, Purvanchal 2-0 (T Sowmya bt Deepika Singh 21-7, 21-4; Aswani Choudhary/Sowmya bt Deepika S/Neetu Gupta 21-5, 21-7).

Mumbai Univ bt Lucknow Univ 2-0 (Sonal More bt Aneta Mani Tripathi 21-6, 21-14; Sonal M/Jui Agaskar bt A M Tripathi/Rani 21-8, 21-5).

Pune Univ bt G N D U, Amritsar 2-0 (Amita D bt Sehar 21-8, 21-10; Amita D/Nupur S. bt Sehar/Saniya 21-13, 21-16).

Delhi Univ bt M U H Sci, Nashik 2-1 (Chitralekha lost to Deepti Paranjpe 15-21, 18-21; Gauri/Mohita bt Ruma Rane/Deepti P 21-19, 21-13; Mohita bt Ruma Rane 21-10, 11-2 rtd).

Calicut Univ bt Pt. R S Shukla Univ 2-0 (Sruthi M bt Priyanka Saraf 21-13, 21-9; Merit George/Sruthi M bt Saraf/Snehita 21-6, 21-5).

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