GOLF
Swiss Ladies Open 2024: Tvesa Malik makes solid start
India’s Tvesa Malik got off to a solid start at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open as she carded 3-under 68 in the opening round of the Ladies European Tour event here.
Though the first round was far from complete, Tvesa, who is making a comeback from indifferent form, had four birdies and one bogey at Golfpark Holzhausern.
Among Indians in fray, only Seher Atwal had finished at 6-over 77 while Vani Kapoor, Ridhima Dilawari and Amandeep Drall had just about started their rounds.
This week India’s leading stars, Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs are taking a break.
Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley and Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall shared the early lead with 5-under 66 each. Ten players, including Tvesa were 3-under with some of the players yet to complete their first round.
Tvesa was an early starter from the 10th and birdied the 11th and the 15th, both Par-3s with excellent tee shots.
She added a third birdie on the third before dropping her first bogey on the seventh, but got that shot back on the ninth, her closing hole.
Among the players who finished their first round with 68s were former Hero Women’s Indian Open winner Christine Wolf, Switzerland’s Kim Metraux, Lisa Pettersson of Sweden and England’s Alice Hewson.
-PTI
SQUASH
Asian Junior squash: It’s Aadya v Goushika in girls’ U-13 final; Agarwal advances to boys’ U-15 title round
Indian second seed Aadya Budhia will take on compatriot Goushika M in the girls’ under-13 final of the 31st Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Islamabad on Saturday.
Shiven Agarwal also progressed to the title round in the boys’ U-15 category after the second seeded Indian put it past fourth-seeded local challenger Nouman Khan 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-0 in the semifinals on Friday.
Aadya defeated sixth seed Chiu Hau Ching of Hong Kong 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 12-10 in the last-four stage, while fourth seed Goushika beat Malaysian ninth seed Maisarah Binti Mohd Khairul Nizam 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6.
-Team Sportstar
FOOTBALL
Prithviraj and wife acquire major stake in SLK team Kochi FC
Actor Prithviraj and Supriya Menon, who have acquired a major stake in Super League Kerala team Kochi FC.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Actor Prithviraj and Supriya Menon, who have acquired a major stake in Super League Kerala team Kochi FC.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran and his wife Supriya Menon have acquired a major stake in Kochi FC which will be in action in the new six-team Super League Kerala.
The Super League is set to start towards the end of August and the Kochi team, which was earlier known as Kochi Pipers FC, has been renamed as Kochi FC.
Prithviraj hoped that the inaugural season of the league would significantly boost football activities at both the professional and grassroot-level and would create opportunities for deserving and upcoming players.
Mathew Joseph, the Super League’s CEO, said Prithviraj’s involvement will bring a unique fusion of entertainment and sports in Kerala during the 60-day football extravaganza.
There are other changes in the Kochi team. Praveesh Kuzhipally and Shameem Backer, who were earlier co-owners of the Kannur team, have now come in as Kochi FC’s co-owners along with Nasly Mohammed and Mohammed Shyjal.
BADMINTON
Badminton Asia Junior Championships: India thrashes Vietnam 5-0 to start campaign in style
India began their Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships with a thumping 5-0 win over Vietnam in their Group C opener at Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Friday.
The mixed doubles combination of Bhargav Ram Arigela and Vennala K came back from a game down to beat Pham Van Truong and Bui Bich Phuong 17-21, 21-19, 21-17 to put India ahead.
Pranay Shettigar then defeated Tran Quoc Khanh 10-21, 21-18, 21-17 to double India’s lead and senior nationals finalist Tanvi Sharma then wrapped up the match with a 21-13, 21-18 win over Tran Thi Anh.
India will next take on Philippines in the second round robin tie on Saturday.
Result:
India bt Vietnam 5-0 (Bhargav Ram Arigela/Vennala K bt Pham Van Truong/Bui Bich Phuong 17-21, 21-19, 21-17; Pranay Shettigar bt Tran Quoc Khanh 10-21, 21-18, 21-17; Tanvi Sharma bt Tran Thi Anh 21-13, 21-18; Arsh Mohammad/Sanskar Saraswat bt Nguyen Van Mai/Pham Van Truong 20-22, 21-16, 21-13; Navya Kanderi/Shravani Walekar bt Bui Bich Phuong/Tran Thi Anh 21-6, 19-21, 21-14).
-Team Sportstar
TENNIS
Avani Chitale wins AITA women’s tennis tournament
Qualifier Avani Chitale gave herself a fairytale finish as she beat Kashish Bhatia 7-6(8), 6-0 in the final of the Rs.100,000 AITA women’s tennis tournament at the SKIT Campus on Friday.
It was a dominant fare from the 16-year-old Avani as she did not drop a set in the main draw, and did not drop a game in two matches of the qualifying event earlier.
The results (final):
Avani Chitale bt Kashish Bhatia 7-6(8), 6-0.
-Kamesh Srinivasan