The Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur witnessed intense action on Tuesday as the All India Sub-Junior (U-15 and U-17) Ranking Badminton tournament progressed into its crucial stages. Rajasthan's young shuttler Vayam Lamba experienced a day of mixed fortunes, registering a significant victory before bowing out in a hard-fought pre-quarterfinal match.
Vayam Lamba's Valiant Effort Ends in Defeat
After securing a resounding win over second seed Aditya Singh Negi of Uttarakhand earlier in the day, Vayam Lamba faced Telangana's Krishav Pupala in a thrilling three-game pre-quarterfinal battle. Despite putting up a brave fight, fatigue seemed to catch up with the Rajasthan player, leading to his exit from the competition.
Detailed Match Results
In the U-15 boys singles category, Vayam Lamba edged past Aditya Singh Negi with scores of 21-16, 19-21, 21-16 in a closely contested match. However, in his subsequent pre-quarterfinal encounter, Krishav Pupala defeated Lamba 14-21, 21-16, 21-16, showcasing remarkable resilience after losing the first game.
Rajasthan Players Shine in Doubles Events
While Lamba's singles campaign ended, other Rajasthan players delivered impressive performances to advance to the quarterfinals. Kandarp Sharma emerged as a standout performer, securing victories in two different categories.
Kandarp Sharma's Double Success
In the U-17 mixed doubles, Kandarp Sharma partnered with Sharayu Ranjane of Maharashtra to thump the Karnataka pair of Ishwar Sai and Raksha M 21-13, 21-14. Sharma continued his winning form in the U-17 boys doubles, teaming up with Garvit Barwar to upset the fourth-seeded Tamil Nadu duo of Shahid Ibrahim Peer Ahamed Buhari and Adhav Surya RJ 21-18, 23-21 in a nail-biting contest.
Manan Sharma's Quarterfinal Berth
Top seeds Manan Sharma and Inayat Gulati demonstrated their dominance in the U-15 mixed doubles, ousting Atharv Tyagi and Gia Sharma of Delhi 21-13, 21-7. Sharma also advanced in the U-15 boys doubles category, partnering with Sai Sohan Kota of Andhra Pradesh as the fourth-seeded pair to outclass Faisal Iqbal and Ashdulla of Bihar 21-13, 21-12.
Other Notable Performances
The tournament saw several other impressive displays across various categories. Fourth-seeded Satvik Agarwal and Lakshit Bhardwaj dismissed Chithas and Trisha 21-10, 21-16 to advance to the quarterfinals in U-15 mixed doubles. Agarwal also triumphed in U-15 boys singles, trouncing Pratham Raut of Maharashtra 21-13, 21-16.
Anvi Rathod's Double Victory
Anvi Rathod showcased her talent with victories in both girls' categories. In U-15 girls singles, she accounted for Kyra Rena of Maharashtra 21-10, 21-11, while in U-17 girls singles, she downed Nehal Sisodiya of Rajasthan 21-11, 22-20 in a closely fought match.
Boys Doubles Action
In another U-15 boys doubles encounter, the pair of Anand Maderna and Y Shekhawat got the better of Kashinath C and Omkar RK of Kerala 21-17, 21-18 to secure their place in the next round.
Tournament Inauguration
The nine-day competition was formally inaugurated earlier by Dr. Neeraj K Pawan, sports secretary and chairman of the Rajasthan State Sports Council. Former Olympian badminton player Chetan Anand graced the occasion as the special guest. The event was attended by organizing secretary KK Sharma, Rajasthan Badminton Association vice-president Manoj Dasot, joint secretary Zakir Hussain, chief referee Rahul Deshmukh, and coach Yadavendra Singh, with Chandrakant Sharma compering the programme.
The tournament continues to showcase emerging badminton talent from across India, with players battling for ranking points and recognition in the competitive sub-junior circuit.
