The National Tennis Championship witnessed a thrilling quarterfinal encounter on Thursday as second seed and former champion Riya Bhatia fought her way past the tenacious Yubrani Banerjee. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Bhatia initially dominating, taking the first set 6-3 and going up 2-0 in the second. However, Banerjee, a master of counterpunching, fought back valiantly, leveling the match at 2-6 and forcing a decider.
The third set saw both players raise their game, with Banerjee taking an early 5-3 lead. However, Bhatia dug deep, showcasing her fighting spirit and ultimately securing a memorable victory with a 7-6(5) win in the tiebreaker.
This victory sets up an exciting semifinal clash for Bhatia against the 15-year-old sensation, Maaya Rajeshwaran. Rajeshwaran has been on an impressive run, winning six consecutive matches, including three in the qualifying rounds, with an average of just four games dropped per match.
The men’s semifinals will feature a clash between top seed Vishnu Vardhan and Nitin Kumar Sinha. In another intriguing matchup, lucky loser Rethin Pranav, who has been making a strong statement in the tournament, will take on Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam.
The other women’s semifinal pits top seed Vaidehi Chaudhari against Pooja Ingale.
The National Tennis Championship continues to deliver exciting matches and captivating storylines. The semifinals promise to be even more intense as the players strive to secure their place in the finals.
