Photo Caption: Ayaz Bilawala and Mayur Tawde in action during their Men’s Combination 100+ match at the 25th G.D. Birla Memorial Masters Inter-Club Badminton Tournament.Mumbai, February 16:
Unseeded Premal Mankar played with lots of determination to overcome fourth seed Anand Mhaskar in three tough games to advance to the finals of Professional Singles event of the Aditya Birla Capital sponsored 25th G.D. Birla Memorial Masters Inter-Club Badminton Tournament to be played at the Bombay Gymkhana and CCI courts. The championship is organised by Badminton 45 in association with Evolution Sport.
In a closely fought semi-final, Mankar defeated Mhaskar 21-14, 9-21, 21-15. Manoj Nachnekar also scored an upset win against second seed Rajan Samant pulling off a 21-15, 21-19 victory in the second semi-final.
Meanwhile, the top-seeded pair of Ayaz Bilawala and Shailesh Daga easily defeated Ashish Kapila and Sandeep Chatwani 21-16, 21-11 in the Men’s combined 45+ doubles semi-finals. In the other semi-final, second seeds Bibhash Chatterjeee and Yogesh Sanghavi worked hard to put it across Naval Kumar and Pramod Ahuja winning in three games at 21-7, 21-23, 21-16.
Results - Professional Singles (semi-final): Premal Mankar bt 4-Anand Mhaskar 21-14, 9-21, 21-15; 3-Manoj Nachnekar bt 2-Rajan Samant 21-15, 21-19.
Professional Doubles (semi-final): 1-Dinesh Golbare/Manoj Nachnekar bt 4-Rajan Samant/Rajesh Jadhav 21-16, 21-17; 2-Anand Mhaskar/Sanjay Golbare bt 3-Jayesh Develkar/Lalit Bane 21-19, 21-10.
Men’s combined 45+ Doubles (semi-final): 1-Ayaz Bilawala/Shailesh Daga bt Ashish Kapila/Sandeep Chatwani 21-16, 21-11; 2-Bibhash Chatterjeee/Yogesh Sanghavi bt Naval Kumar/Pramod Ahuja 21-7, 21-23, 21-16.
Team Championships – Elite Div (quarter-final): Bombay Gymkhana ‘A’ bt Matoshri Club 2-0; Cricket Club of India ‘A’ bt PJ Hindu Gymkhana ‘A’ 2-0; MIG Club bt Catholic Gymkhana 2-1; Andheri Sports Complex ‘A’ bt Goregaon SC 2-1.
Team Championships – Plate Div (quarter-final): NSCI bt PJ Hindu Gymkhana ‘B’ 2-0; Mandpeshwar Civic Federation bt Andheri Sports Complex ‘B’ 2-1; Nerul Sports Club bt SAISA SC 2-0; Insat Sporting Club bt Bombay Gymkhana ‘B’ 2-0.