BHUBANESWAR 26-Sep-2013 166
Local lad Pratyush Chhotray emerged as a new tennis talent of Odisha by bagging a double in the AITA-OTA Champions Series Under-14 Tournament, which concluded at the SOA University sports complex here today.
A tall and lanky boy, Pratyush clinched the double by winning both singles and doubles titles convincingly. Seeded fourth, he won the singles title, defeating state-mate Mahesh Mohapatra (third seed) 6-3, 6-3 in the final. In the doubles final, Pratyush and statemate Swostik Pradhan outclassed N Kirandevaa (TN) and Raghava Gannaparavu (AP) 6-3, 6-2.
Host Odisha asserted supremacy in the tournament, capturing three out of four titles. Alisha Samal and Rutuparna Choudhury won the third title for the host state, defeating Yubrani Banerjee (WB) and Anisha J Jain (Karnataka) 4-0, 3-5, 7-1 in the girls’ doubles final.
Odisha would have made a clean sweep of all four titles if second seed Alisha Samal had not conceded her girls’ singles final match to Yubrani Banerjee (WB) due to injury. Alisha twisted her ankle while trailing 1-3 in the first set.
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PHOTOS: Title winners and guests at the closing function at SOA University in Bhubaneswar on Sept 26, 2013.
