Taste’L GSTA ITF tennis: Top seed Aditya Khanna in line for a double crown

Top seed Aditya Khanna kept himself in line for a double crown in the Taste’L GSTA $200 ITF Mumbai 2021 tennis tournament on Wednesday. Khanna displayed an excellent performance to storm into the semi-finals of the men’s singles and doubles in the 35-plus category.

The five-day tournament is being held in association with L&T Mutual Fund, Practennis, in Mumbai.

The much-fancied Nitin Kirrtane also kept himself on course for a double in men’s 40-plus singles and doubles. Kirrtane barely broke a sweat before defeating R Sharma 6-1, 6-0 in a third-round match.

Aditya Khanna ousts fifth seed Rewant Datta in men’s singles quarters

Khanna brushed aside the challenge from fifth seed Rewant Datta 6-0, 6-2 in the men's singles quarter-finals. He then paired up with Vipin Sirpual to get the better of Ameet A and Vikas Choudhary 6-2, 6-1.

In his quest for a final spot, Khanna will take on Girish Mishra, who got the better of Vikas Choudhary 7-5, 3-6, 6-0. Also advancing to the semis was Ajai Selvaraj, who defeated Vipin Sirpaul 6-3, 6-3 to set up a clash with Sandeep Pawar.

In one of the most surprising results of the day, Sandeep Pawar stunned second seed Vishal Badri 6-1, 6-0.

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Results

Men’s 35 plus (quarter-finals)

1-Aditya Khanna bt 5-Rewant Datta 6-0, 6-2; Girish Mishra bt Vikas Choudhary 7-5, 3-6, 6-0; Ajai Selvaraj bt Vipin Sirpual 6-3, 6-3; Sandep Pawar bt Vishal Badri 6-1, 6-0.

Men’s singles 40 plus (3rd round)

1-N Choudhary bt J Arputharaj 6-0, 6-0; M Arora bt Jigar Jetly 6-0, 6-1; 3-S Darbha bt P Aswani 6-0, 6-4; 2-Amit Tambe bt Aakash Kale 6-0, 6-0; Nitin Kirrtane bt R Sharma 6-1, 6-0.

Men’s singles 50 plus (3rd round) (Best of 4)

1-Thongam T bt Rajesh Dusane 4-1, 5-4; Bhushan Akut bt Rahul Vyas 4-2, 4-1; Dashrath Salvi bt 2-Panwar Singh 4-0, 4-0; Kankaria N bt H Panwar 6-0, 4-2.

Men’s 35 plus doubles (quarter-finals)

Mangela Gajanan/Sandeep Pawar bt Girish Mishra/R Pandey 6-3, 6-3; Rahul Kejriwal/Aditya Sanghvi bt Vikas Choudhary/Vishal Badri 6-4, 6-1.