Tennis
PTL: Paramount Proec Tigers, Gurgaon Sapphires and Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas join DMG Delhi Crusaders in semi-finals
Bangalore Challengers, Lucknow Aviators, Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas and Gurgaon Sapphires posted wins on a gripping third day of tennis in Pro Tennis League.
Bangalore Challengers, Lucknow Aviators, Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas and Gurgaon Sapphires registered wins on the third day of the Pro Tennis League (PTL) at the RK Khanna Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
In Group B encounters, Bangalore Challengers and Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas won by five points over their rivals Jodhpur Sankara (95-90) and Paramount Proec Tigers (95-90) respectively. Over in Group A, Gurgaon Sapphires inflicted the first defeat on DMG Delhi Crusaders (98-87) and Lucknow Aviators convincingly thrashed Proveri Super Smashers (103-82).
In the nine match format which sees teams play two men's singles, one women's singles, three men's doubles, one nextgen women's, one mixed doubles and one women's doubles matches, the race to 185 points decides the outcome of a particular tie.
After today's matches, all of DMG Delhi Crusaders, Lucknow Aviators and Gurgaon Sapphires won two and lost one tie in Group A. However, Proveri Super Smashers finished with three consecutive ties lost.
In Group B, Bangalore Challengers and Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas posted scores of 2-1 with Paramount Proec Tigers and Jodhpur Sankara's were 1-2 after thee days of closely-contested tennis.
In a format that is decided by points accumulated over three days, DMG Delhi Crusaders, Gurgaon Sapphires, Paramount Proec Tigers and Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas progressed to the semi-finals. In it, DMG Delhi Crusaders will face Paramount Proec Tigers and Gurgaon Sapphires will put themselves against Meerut Stag Babolat Yoddhas. The winners from both will go on to meet in the final.
Gurgaon Sapphires kept the crowd enthralled by downing unbeaten DMG Delhi Crusaders as they won three straight matches including Tunisia's former World No 42 Malek Jaziri inflicting a massive 20-10 win on two-time national champion Nikki Poonacha.
Before it, the combination of Mahika Khanna-Sharamada Balu beat Jennifer Luikham (10-5) and in mixed doubles, Sharmada Balu joined forces with Dilip Mohanty to beat Jennifer Luikham and Aditya Khanna, the face behind the league.
As far as straightforward matches go, Lucknow Aviators sealed six of nine matches including Sravya Shivani Chilakalapudi stunning rising youngster Riya Bhatia (14-6) in women's singles.
Paramount Proec Tigers and Meerut Stag Babolat, who could meet in the final, got a look at each other's positives and weaknesses as the former won the last two matches by two and six points respectively to turn the tie around. Vishnu Vardhan, former Asian Games medallist, proved decisive in both those men's doubles matches.
