Indian sports wrap, October 4: Manish, Vaishanvi emerge champions at Fenesta National Tennis Championship
TENNIS
Manish, Vaishanvi emerge champions at Fenesta National Tennis Championship
Manish Sureshkumar and Vaishnavi Adkar were authoritative in emerging as champions in the Fenesta National Tennis Championship at the DLTA Complex on Saturday.
Manish beat fellow trainee of coach Sureshkumar Sonachalam from Chennai, qualifier Keerthivassan Suresh, 6-4, 6-2 for the men’s title. It was a lively match in which both players exhibited their repertoire from the back court with energetic strokes, even though they both were tired after the tough passage to the final.
“I am very happy to win this second National title. Coming into the tournament, I had no expectations, as I was not happy with my game. It is not in the same level that it used to be. I was not playing that good initially. I gained belief after beating Nitin Kumar Sinha in the quarterfinals. This title gives me the confidence to step into the international events and play better,” said Manish, who was presented the winner’s Cheque of Rs.300,000.
Like another Tamil Nadu lad, Rethin Pranav, who had marched to the men’s title after making the main draw as a lucky loser last year, Keerthivassan threatened to strike it big, but fell marginally short, despite a brave effort. He won everyone’s admiration for packing such a lively game in a wiry frame. He pocketed Rs. 200,000 as the runner-up prize.
The prize money was equal for the women’s champions and runners-up, as Vaishnavi beat her fellow Maharashtra teammate, Akanksha, with considerable ease at 6-1, 6-2, despite dropping her serve twice.
“Till the last moment, I was not sure of competing in this tournament owing to the knee injury. I am happy to be the national champion. It feels surreal,” said Vaishnavi, even as she congratulated and thanked the DCM Shriram Group for sustaining the event for more than 30 years.
In the junior boys’ final, Tavish Pahwa recovered from being down 0-3 to take the first set in the tie-break, before Hruthik Katakam retired early in the second set.
Harshini Nagaraj played a steady game to beat the strongly-built Snigdha Kanta in three sets for the girls title.
London Games medallist Yogeshwar Dutt was the chief guest and presented the trophies along with the Chairman and Managing Director of DCM Shriram, Ajay Shriram, the Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal, Business Head of Fenesta, Saket Jain, along with Balram Singh and Anil Gupta.
The results (finals):
Men: Manish Sureshkumar bt Keerthivassan Suresh 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles (final): Nitin Kumar Sinha & Maan Kesharwani bt Manish Sureshkumar & Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam 6-4, 3-6, [10-5].
Women: Vaishnavi Adkar bt Akanksha Nitture 6-1, 6-2.
Under-18 boys: Tavish Pahwa bt Hruthik Katakam 7-6(2), 1-0 (retired).
Under-18 girls: Harshini Nagaraj bt Snigdha Kanta 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
GOLF
Bhullar stays on track for Jakarta success
Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar carded a one-under 69 to grab a share of the three-way lead with Wade Ormsby (67) of Australia and Scott Vincent (62) of Zimbabwe, going into the final round of the Jakarta International Championship.
Bhullar, a five-time winner in Indonesia, was left to rue one costly mistake on ninth hole, when he double bogeyed the hole despite sitting at the middle of the fairway after another perfect drive.
– PTI
Sharma shoots par in second round after 68 in first
India’s Shubhankar Sharma shot an even par 72 on the second day at St Andrews and was 4-four under par after two rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He was placed tied 56th.
A strong third round at the Carnoustie Golf Links could see him break his streak of missed cuts.
Sharma played at Carnoustie during the 147th Open Championship back in 2018 and finished the week at T-51.
– PTI
FOOTBALL
Veteran Delhi football administrator NK Bhatia dead
Delhi’s veteran football administrator NK Bhatia passed away after a prolonged illness.
Bhatia had been suffering from age-related complications and was admitted to the intensive care unit of a city hospital.
Bhatia, who was the vice-president of Football Delhi, has worked tirelessly for the betterment of the sport in the national capital and has held the post of secretary of the erstwhile Delhi Soccer Association (DSA), often representing the body in the national federation meetings.
He has held various positions in the standing committees of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
– PTI
Published on Oct 04, 2025