Mysuru girl Padmapriya signs off with second double of 2024

Bengaluru: Dominant Aarav Chhallani and Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar clinched a splendid double each in the KSLTA-Asian Junior (U-14) Tournament at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium Courts here yesterday.

In an all-Indian final, Chhallani, playing his first Asian Tennis Federation of the year, came out all guns blazing to outclass Arjun Manikandan 6-0, 6-3 for his maiden international title.

Two hours later, the 12-year-old Mumbai lad added another title, annexing the doubles crown with partner Yash Kumar. The unheralded duo defeated the third-seeded pair of Armaan Dua and Arsh Kathuria in straight sets at 6-4, 6-3. Chhallani heads to Jaipur next week for a Grade I event.

In the girls’ final, also an all-Indian clash, second-seeded Padmapriya ended giant-killer Diya Ravikumar Janaki’s run with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 victory. The Mysuru-based 12-year-old called the shots from the get-go and breezed through without any hiccups.

However, she and partner Jahnavi Tammineedi, the top seeds in doubles, had to play out of their skin against third seeds Ayessha Bagla and Diya Ravikumar Janaki. The top-seeded pair played the big points well in the deciding super tiebreak to emerge 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victors.

For Padmapriya, the seventh standard student from Excel Public School in Mysuru, this was her fourth title of the season and second ATF double triumph. The second seed had clinched both the singles and doubles titles at the Guwahati tournament earlier in May.

Results

Boys – Singles: (8) Aarav Chhallani bt Arjun Manikandan 6-0, 6-3; Doubles: Aarav Chhallani/ Yash Kumar bt (3) Armaan Dua/ Arsh Kathuria 6-4, 6-3.

Girls – Singles: (2) Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar bt (8) Diya Ravikumar Janaki 6-2, 6-3; Doubles: (1) Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar/ Jahnavi Tammineedi bt (3) Ayessha Bagla/ Diya Ravikumar Janaki 6-3, 4-6, 10-5.