NAGPUR: Rohan Gurbani won back-to-back singles and doubles contests to help Nagpur edge past Pune in an exciting men's final 3-2 and emerge as state champions in the Maharashtra senior inter-district badminton championship which concluded at Thane on Tuesday. While Nagpur men registered a come-from-behind triumph, their women's team went down fighting to hosts Thane 1-2.
In the men's final, Sankalp Gurala gave a false start to Nagpur as he lost the thrilling 63-minute first singles tie to Pune's Arya Bhivpathaki 22-20, 11-21, 4-21. Despite the first setback, experienced Rohan kept his cool and brought parity for Nagpur by making light work of Washim Shaikh 22-20, 21-18 in just 30 minutes. With an aim to take lead in the final, Rohan joined Akshan Shetty for the doubles clash as they defeated Pune's duo of Narendra Gogawale and Yash Shah 14-21, 21-18, 21-18 in 57 minutes.
