Chennai
BADMINTON
Ashmita, Ravi win Maldives International Challenge
Indian shuttlers Ashmita Chaliha and Ravi clinched the women’s and men’s singles titles respectively with contrasting victories at the Maldives International Challenge in Male.
Third seed Ashmita came from a game down to eke out a 19-21, 21-17, 21-11 win over compatriot Tasnim Mir in an all-Indian women’s final on Saturday.
This is the Assam shuttler’s third BWF International Challenge victory having previously won the Tata Open India International and Dubai International.
In the men’s singles, unseeded Ravi got the better of Malaysia’s seventh seed Soong Joo Ven in straight games 21-19, 21-18.
Top-seeded women’s doubles duo of Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam finished runners up after going down to Thailand’s Laksika Kanlaha and Phataimas Muenwong 22-24,15-21.
-PTI
GOLF
Astha Madan makes cut in France in LET Access Series
India’s Astha Madan shot a disappointing 3-over 75 in the second round but still managed to make the cut at the Montauban Ladies Open on the Ladies Access Tour in Europe.
Astha, who had an even par round on the first day, slipped from T-23 to tied T-34.
She had three birdies against six bogeys on a disappointing second day, while she had two birdies and two bogeys in the first round.
Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen fired a bogey-free 67 (-5) to hold a one-shot lead at the end of the second day.
Nielsen rolled in three birdies on the front nine on holes two, three and nine.
The 24-year-old played the first two rounds with fellow LETAS rookie England’s Emily Price, the overnight leader, who is now chasing her.
Nielsen is the current leader of the LETAS Order of Merit with 548.88 points after finishing second in two tournaments, the Flumserberg Ladies Open and Santander Golf Tour-Girona.
The tournament faced the hottest weather conditions so far in this year’s LETAS.
Two players sit in a tie for third place, Slovenia’s Katja Pogacar and French amateur 13-year-old Alice Kong.
Switzerland’s Elena Moosmann is one behind in fourth place.
A total of 58 players including six amateurs made the cut which fell at 5-over.
-PTI
Pranavi at tied 25th, three Indians make cut in Epson Tour
India’s Pranavi Urs made her first cut of the season as well as in her Epson Tour career, adding 1-over 73 to her first 70 and was tied 25th here at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship.
Pranavi, a prolific winner on her domestic Women’s Pro Golf Tour and No. 1 in 2022, missed three cuts in a row before making it at Michigan. She had two birdies against three bogeys, after four birdies and two bogeys in the first round.
Pranavi was the best of the three Indians in the field as all the three made the cut. The US-based Nishtha Madan (70-74) was tied-34 and Nikita Arjun (73-73) was tied 59th.
Four players — Siyun Liu (70-67), Amelia Garvey (70-67), Lindsey McCurdy (70-67) and Min-G Kimsit (68-69) — shared the lead at the top at seven-under in the tournament. There is one more round to go in the 54-hole event.
Also in the top five was Thailand’s Siri Patchana (70-68).
– PTI
TENNIS
Prajwal loses in final
Third seed Shinji Hazawa of Japan beat SD Prajwal Dev 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the $15,000 ITF men’s tennis tournament in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, on Sunday.
It was a fine run for the 27-year-old Prajwal who continues to chase the elusive professional singles title.
In the $25,000 ITF women’s event in Madrid, Spain, Vasanti Shinde in partnership with Li Zongyu of China was beaten 4-6, 6-2, [10-6] in the doubles final by Dalaytna Hewitt and Alana Smith of USA.
Results
$15,000 ITF men, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand Singles (final): Shinji Hazawa (Jpn) bt SD Prajwal Dev 6-3, 6-4.
$25,000 ITF women, Madrid, Spain Doubles (final): Dalayna Hewitt & Alana Smith (USA) bt Li Zongyu (Chn) & Vasanti Shinde 4-6, 6-2, [10-6]; Semifinals: Li Zongyu & Vasanti bt Jacqueline Awad (Swe) & Viktoria Morvayova (Svk) 6-3, 7-5.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
