The Champion Indian team in the Asia-Oceania IC Rod Laver junior challenge in Singapore. Captain Vikram Anand, Rishitha Basireddy, Sohini Mohanty, Samarth Sahita, Aradhya Kshitij.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Indian team asserted its prowess by beating Japan 4-2 in the second league match of the Asia-Oceania IC Rod Laver Junior Challenge tennis event at the Winchester Arena on Thursday.
India, thus qualified for the world wide challenge, that will be hosted by Spain next year.
The Indian team won the four singles through Aradhya Kshitij, Sohini Mohanty, Samarth Sahita and Rishitha Basireddy to ensure its qualification from the three-team competition. Later, the Japanese were able to assert themselves by winning both the boys and girls doubles matches.
India had won the world wide challenge last year through Manas Dhamne, Rushil Khosla, Sohini Mohanty and Asmi Adkar, with the team receiving the trophy from the legend Rod Laver himself in the USA.
The captain of the Indian team, Vikram Anand, captured the thrill of the tie against Japan.
“Samarth and Sohini really came back from the brink to clinch this incredible victory for us. The high humidity and the heavy Slazenger balls made the play difficult on the indoor arena. The Japanese don’t play many ITF junior tournaments and thus it was difficult to know about their game. Our players will continue to play the international circuit and should be ready for the world wide challenge, when it is held in Spain, tentatively in June,” said Vikram Anand.
Host Singapore was the third team, and was beaten both by India and Japan.
The results (league): India bt Japan 4-2 (Aradhya Kshitij bt Junya Kawamura 6-1, 6-3; Sohni Mohanty bt Kei sawaki 7-5, 6-4; Samarth Sahita bt Tomoki Fujiwara 7-6(3), 6-1; Rishitha Basireddy bt Miyu Takiguchi 6-1, 6-3; Aradhya & Samarth lost to Kawamura & Fujiwara 4-6, 6-3, 4-6; Sohini & Rishitha lost to Sawaki & Takiguchi 5-7, 3-6).
Published – December 20, 2024 05:04 am IST