Upcoming talent Arya Mestry played with plenty of grit and gumption and caused a major sensation by knocking out second seed Thea Sheth pulling through by a 2-1 score line in a girls’ under-11 semi-final match of the Greater Mumbai Badminton Association ‘50th Golden Jubilee’ badminton tournament, organized by the Bombay Gymkhana and Badminton 45 and played at the Bombay Gymkhana courts.
Unseeded Arya Mestry shocked second seed Thea Sheth in the girls’ under-11 semi-finals of the Greater Mumbai Badminton Association ‘50th Golden Jubilee’ badminton tournament.
The unseeded Arya showed tremendous fighting spirit to record a stunning 16-21, 21-11, 21-14 victory over second Thea to secure a place in the final.
Arya will clash with top-seeded Ananya Katdare who defeated Kenisha Chavan by a comfortable straight game 21-16, 21-5 in the other semi-final.
In the boys’ under-11 sem-final encounters, the top seed Zehn Masani easily got past unseeded Akshat Raisurana 21-12, 21-3 and second seed Jayden Noronha after a hesitant start and losing the first game recovered to overcome K. Durgesh winning in three games at 12-21, 21-14, 21-12.
The girls’ under-15 finals will be contested between top seed Taarini Suri and second seed Nirmitee Gajbhiye, both winning their respective semi-finals in straight games.
The number one seed Pranay Shettigar will face a challenge from second seed Shaurya Kandoi in the boys’ under-15 summit clash.
Results – Boys’ U-11 singles (semi-finals): 1-Zehn Masani bt Akshat Raisurana 21-12, 21-3; 2-Jayden Noronha bt K. Durgesh 12-21, 21-14, 21-12.
Girls’ U-11 singles (semi-finals): 1-Ananya Katdare bt Kenisha Chavan 21-16, 21-5; Arya Mestry bt 2-Thea Sheth 16-21, 21-11, 21-14.
Boys’ U-15 singles (semi-finals): 1-Pranay Shettigar bt Laukik Parulekar 21-9, 21-12; 2-Shaurya Kandoi bt Pranit Somani 21-18, 21-13.
Girls’ U-15 singles (semi-finals): 1-Taarini Suri bt Neerva Negi 21-8, 21-6; 2-Nirmitee Gajbhiye bt Riya Vinherkar 21-16, 21-14.