GOLF
S.S.P Chawrasia Invitational: Manu Gandas emerges sole leader after second round
Manu Gandas of Gurugram assumed the lead with a fine six-under 66 in the second round to tally a creditable nine-under 135 in the inaugural S.S.P. Chawrasia Invitational, at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club on Thursday.
Indian star Anirban Lahiri fired the day’s best score of 65 to be placed second at eight-under 136 while another golfer from Gurugram, Veer Ahlawat struck a 67 to be in third place at six-under 138.
As it happened in the second day’s action, the top three players on the leaderboard – Manu, Anirban and Veer – played together in the same group in the first two rounds. There was only one bogey among the three players in the second round and this set up an interesting contest ahead of the third round when they return together as the leader group.
The PGTI rankings leader Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (70) of Chandigarh was tied ninth at four-under 140 while the tournament host S.S.P. Chawrasia (70) was tied 11th at three-under 141 to be the highest-placed among the Kolkata-based professionals. Ajeetesh Sandhu (70) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (72) were also tied 11th along with Chawrasia. The first round leader Karandeep Kochhar (77) of Chandigarh slipped to tied 20th place and was placed at one-under 143.
– Amitabha Das Sharma
TENNIS
ITF $25k women’s tennis tournament: Shrivalli, Ankita reach quarterfinals in Solapur
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty sustained her good game to get past Sowjanya Bavisetti into the quarterfinals of the Balaji Amines $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the District Sports Complex in Solapur on Thursday.
Shrivalli led 6-3, 3-0 when Sowjanya retired. In the quarterfinals, Shrivalli will play Priska Nugroho of Indonesia.
Top seed Ankita Raina was the only other Indian player to reach the quarterfinals, as she beat compatriot Zeel Desai in three sets. She will face Ekaterina Yashina who fought her way past Sahaja Yamalapalli 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4.
In doubles, the No.1 seeds Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare will meet Shrivalli and Vaidehi Chaudhari in the semifinals.