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Indian shuttlers Aparna Balan and Sruthi KP emerged victorious in the women’s doubles category as the Nepal International Series tournament concluded at Tripureshwor, Nepal on Saturday. Balan and Sruthi lived up to their billing as the top seeds and needed only 35 minutes to get the better of the fourth-seeded Sri Lankans Thilini Pramodika Hendahewa and Kavidi Sirimannage 21-16, 21-13.
This is the first BWF title of the season for the all-Indian pair. With this win, they successfully defended the title they won last year.
Balan and Sruthi were the only Indian winners at this International Series event, the final day of which was dominated by Thai shuttlers. All the other categories had winners from Thailand.
While second-seeded Chananchida Jucharoen won the women’s singles title, the men’s singles glory was reserved for the ninth-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn.
In men’s doubles, fourth seeds Supak Jomkoh and Wachirawit Sothon emerged the winners. Jomkoh had double delight as he also tasted success in mixed doubles, winning the title alongside Supissara Paewsampran.
Apart from Balan and Sruthi, no other Indian managed to reach the final of this tournament.
In men’s singles, 12th seed Kaushal Dharmamer was the best performing Indian and he went down 17-21, 16-21 to the eventual champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semi-finals.
In women’s singles, Rashi Tyagi too made it to the semi-finals before retiring 4-21, 2-11 to the second seed and eventual winner Chananchida Jucharoen.
In the mixed doubles section, the second seeds Raju Mohamed Rehan and J Anees Kowsar were upset 18-21, 14-21 by the unseeded Thai combine of Panachai Worasaktayanan and Pitchayanin Ungka.
Two Indian teams made it to the semi-finals in men’s doubles, giving rise to hopes of an all-Indian final. However, both of them were eliminated at that stage.
Top seeds Vasantha Kumar Hanumaiah Ranganatha and Ashith Surya were edged 22-20, 17-21, 19-21 by Supak Jomkoh and Wachirawit Sothon while Hemanth M.Gowda and Madhusudan Madappa were beaten 17-21, 15-21 by Warit Sarapat and Panachai Worasaktayanan.
