Manama: Top seed Sameer Verma and Pratul Joshi registered contrasting semi-final victories yesterday to seal a men’s singles final showdown in the Victor-Rayan Sports Bahrain International Series 2015 badminton event at the Shaikh Khalifa Sports City.
In an all-Indian semi-final cast, Verma justified his lofty billing with a relatively comfortable 21-13, 21-16 victory over Aditya Joshi, while Pratul – the latter’s brother – beat eighth seed Subhankar Dey 15-21, 21-19,21-16 in a hard fought three-set battle.
In the women’s singles semi-final, top-seeded Thi Trang Vu of Vietnam was upset by Malaysia’s Li Lian Yang who came back from a set down to win 10-21, 21-17, 21-10.
In the final, Li will play the No 2 seed from India, Saili Rane, who beat Alesia Zaitsava in the second semi-final 21-12, 21-17
In the doubles’ competitions, it was a night of success for Malaysia as both Malaysian pairs made it to the final.
Wee Tat Tan and Yip Jiun Tan beat the top-seeded Turkish pair of Vural and Zorlu 21-7, 21-9 in the men’s doubles semi-final to set up a final showdown against compatriots Pak Chuu Chow and Kay Ee Yeoh who downed the India duo of Vineeth Manuel Sanjeeth (India) 21-9, 21-15.
Yip Jiun Tan then teamed up with women’s singles star Li Lian Yang to beat the third-seeded pair of Ahmed Salah and Menna Eltenany from Egypt 21-9, 21-12 and reach the mixed doubles final where they will play the pairing of Artyom Savatyugin of Uzbekhistan and Belarus’ Alesia Zaitsava who beat Bahrain’s Heri Setiawan and Sandra Sakaria 21-8, 14-21, 21-15.
The other Bahraini duo of Neha Jojo and Sandra Sakaria also bowed out after losing to Pakistan’s Palwasha Bashir and Sara Mohmand 21-17, 21-9 in the women’s doubles.
The finals will be played at the Shaikh Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town starting at 5.30pm today
The tournament is title-sponsored by Victor-Rayan Sports and supported by the Mashtan Hotel and boomzbahrain.com, the official hotel and online media partners, respectively.
RESULTS:
Men’s Singles
Semi-finals: Sameer Verma (India) (1) bt Aditya Joshi (India) 21-13, 21-16; Pratul Joshi (India) bt Subhankar Dey (India) (8) 15-21, 21-19, 21-16
Women’s Singles
Semi-finals: Li Lian Yang (Malaysia) bt Thi Trang Vu (Vietnam) (1) 10-21, 21-17, 21-10; Saili Rane (India) (2) bt Alesia Zaitsava (Belarus) 21-12, 21-17
Men’s Doubles
Semi-finals: Wee Tat Tan / Yip Jiun Tan (Malaysia) (4) bt Emre Vural / Sinan Zorlu (Turkey) (1) 21-7, 21-9; Pak Chuu Chow / Kay Ee Yeoh (Malaysia) bt Vineeth Manuel / S Sanjeeth (India) 21-9, 21-15
Women’s Doubles
Semi-finals: Palwasha Bashir / Sara Mohmand (Pakistan) bt Neha Jojo / Sandra Sakaria (Bahrain) 21-17, 21-9; S Poorvisha Ram / Arathi Sara Sunil (India) W/Over
Mixed Doubles
Semi-finals: Yip Jiun Tan / Li Lian Yang (Malaysia) bt Ahmed Salah / Menna El Tanany (Egypt) (3) 21-9, 21-12; Artyom Savatyugin (Uzbekhistan) / Alesia Zaitsava (Belarus) bt Heri Setiawan / Sandra Sakaria (Bahrain) 21-8, 14-21, 21-15
Today’s finals:
Men’s Singles
Sameer Verma (India) v Pratul Joshi (India)
Women’s Singles
Li Lian Yang (Malaysia) v Saili Rane (India)
Men’s Doubles
Wee Tat Tan/Yip Jiun Tan (Malaysia) v Pak Chuu Chow / Kay Ee Yeoh (Malaysia)
Women’s Doubles
Palwasha Bashir/Sara Mohmand (Pakistan) v S Poorvisha Ram/Arathi Sara Sunil (India)
Mixed Doubles
Yip Jiun Tan / Li Lian Yang (Malaysia) v Artyom Savatyugin (Uzbekhistan)/Alesia Zaitsava (Belarus)