All-India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament: George, Aakarshi crowned champions

HYDERABAD: Kerala’s Kiran George and Aakarshi Kashyap of Airports Authority of India won the men’s and women’s singles titles in the All-India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament at the Vijayawada Club, Tadepalli here on Sunday.
Seeded 12th, George upset eighth seed and favourite ASS Siril Varma of Telangana in three games 21-9, 15-21, 21-11. After losing the first game Varma fought back to win the second but he ran out of gas in the decider collecting just 11 points.Third seed Aakarshi made short work of seventh seed Anura Prabhudesai of Goa 21-12, 21-16 to collect the women’s singles title.
Air India’s Dhruv Kapila achieved a grand double by clinching men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles. Kapila, who trains in Hyderabad, is the top seed in both categories. Along with Krishna Prasad Garaga of Andhra Pradesh, Kapila defeated third seeds MR Arjun of Kerala and Shlok Ramchandran of Airports Authority of India 21-19, 21-16 to win the men’s doubles title. In the mixed doubles final, Kapila and Jakkampudi Meghana of Reserve Bank of India fought hard to beat Shlok Ramchandran of Airports Authority of India and Rutaparna Panda of Orissa 17-21, 22-20, 21-16.
Maneesha of Reserve Bank of India and Rutaparna claimed the women’s doubles crown with a 23-21, 21-10 victory against Shikha Gautam of Air India and K Ashwini Bhat of Karnataka 23-21, 21-10.
Results (All finals; Men's singles): 12-Kiran George (KER) bt 8-ASS Siril Varma (TS) 21-9, 15-21, 21-11.
Men's doubles: 1-G Krishna Prasad (AP)/Dhruv Kapila (AI) bt 3-MR Arjun (KER)/Shlok Ramchandran (AAI) 21-19, 21-16.
Women's singles: 3-Aakarshi Kashyap (AAI) bt 7-Anura Prabhudesai (GOA) 21-12, 21-16.
Women's doubles: K Maneesha (RBI)/Rutaparna Panda (ORI) bt 3-Shikha Gautam (AI)/K Ashwini Bhat (KAR) 23-21, 21-10.
Mixed doubles: 1-Dhruv Kapila (AI)/Jakkampudi Meghana (RBI) bt Shlok Ramchandran (AAI)/Rutaparna Panda (ORI) 17-21, 22-20, 21-16.