JAIPUR: Anmol Kharb proved the senior national women's singles title was not a flash in the pan when the teenage sensation emerged champion at the All-India Senior Ranking Badminton tournament which concluded in Jodhpur on Sunday. The week-long tournament was organised by the Rajasthan Badminton Association under the auspices of Badminton Association of India.
Sixteen-year-old Anmol shot into the limelight by becoming one of the youngest national champions in the history of Indian badminton beating another teenager Tanvi Sharma during the 85th Senior Nationals in Guwahati last month.
On Sunday, Haryana girl Anmol extended her season's dream run by edging out Aalisha Naik in an exciting summit clash.
The eighth seed lost the first game but staged a spectacular comeback to oust Maharashtra's Aalisha 13-21, 21-11, 21-19 in exactly one hour.
One of the fastest rising Indian shuttlers, Anmol caused several upsets on the way to triumph. After upsetting fancied players S Rakshitha Sree and Navya Kanderi, Anmol stunned fourth seed Shruti Mundada of Maharashtra 21-10, 21-18 in the semi-finals.
On the other hand, unseeded Aalisha also emerged as the giant-killer in the tournament. She knocked out top seed Isharani Baruah in the second round. She went on to shock fifth seed Shriyanshi Valishetty and sixth seed Purva Barve in the quarter and semis, respectively. However, her dramatic run was halted by an inspired Anmol in the final.
Second seed S Bhargav trounced Saneeth Dayanand 21-14, 21-14 in 47 minutes to become men's singles champion. In an all-Karnataka final, Bhargav dominated twelfth seed Saneeth in a one-sided encounter.
Scratch pair Rohan Kapoor and G Ruthvika Shivani surprised everyone to bag the mixed doubles crown.
In the men's doubles, fourth seed HV Nithin and P Vishnuvardhan Goud toppled top seeds S Prakash Raj-Gouse Shaik to clinch the title, while third seeds Arathi Sara Sunil and VS Varshini pocketed the women's doubles crown.
Results (Finals)
Men's singles: 2-S Bhargav bt 12-Saneeth Dayanand 21-14, 21-14 (47 minutes)
Women's singles: 8-Anmol Kharb bt Aalisha Naik 13-21, 21-11, 21-19 (60 minutes)
Men's doubles: 4-HV Nithin-P Vishnuvardhan Goud bt 1-S Prakash Raj-Gouse Shaik 21-13, 21-10 (31 minutes)
Women's doubles: 3-Arathi Sara Sunil-VS Varshini bt Q-N Srinidhi-Radhika Sharma 21-18, 21-15 (49 minutes)
Mixed doubles: Q-Rohan Kapoor-G Ruthvika Shivani bt Q-S Prakash Raj-K Ashwini Bhat 21-18, 21-13 (30 minutes).
