The badminton event is heading to a fascinating culmination at the 37th National Games Goa 2023. The semi-finals line-up has been decided after an exciting day’s play the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Taleigao Plateau on Sunday. Although the spectators turnout was disappointing, some of the top shuttlers of India produced exciting displays.
Maharashtra’s Harsheel Dani will clash with 3-time National Champion Sourabh Varma in the men’s semi-final. In the other semis, second-seed Mithun Manjunath will take on fourth-seed Tharun M.
The women’s last-four stage will witness top-seed Aakarshi Kashyap face-off with fourth-seed Anupama Upadhyaya; and Meghana Reddy M taking on Aditi Bhatt.
World-ranked 38, Aakarshi was however lucky to scrape through in the Round-of-16 tie. Goa’s Anura Prabhudesai pushed the rising international shuttler to the brink, but an injury forced the Geno brand ambassador to retire in the third game, and 22-year-old Aakarshi progressed to the last eight stage.
Anura put up a robust display and held match points on at least three different occasions in the second game. The top Goan shuttler could have made history if she had managed to beat 37th National Games badminton top-seed Aakarshi.
Anura, who seemed to have some discomfort with her leg muscle, pulled out when Aakarshi was leading 13-7 in the third game.
Anura made a good start and looked on song in the first game 21-19. Aakarshi on the other hand, struggled from the start, making a number of unforced errors.
The 54-minute duel saw Anura stretch Aakarshi, who saved three match points in the second game when trailing 17-20 on one occasion. The match was on the edge twice again when Anura led 22-21 and 23-22. However, with the injury hampering Anura and the top-level experience of Aakarshi, who came straight after her Denmark Open R16 exit to Goa, saw the Chhattisgarh-born shuttler clinching the second game 25-23.
Anura admitted that it was a very sad situation. The hectic schedule of the team championship that preceded the individual event, seemed to have taken a toll on the 25-year-old shuttler as she nursed a hamstring injury.
“I pushed myself more than 100 percent…but the luck factor also matters,” remarked Anura.
Results (Quarters):
Mansi Singh lost to Meghana Reddy M. 10-21, 15-21; Anupama Upadhyaya beat Isharani Baruah 21-16, 16-21, 21-12; Aditi Bhatt beat Adita Rao 21-11, 21-14; Aakarshi Kashyap beat Shruti Mundada 21-14, 19-21, 21-11; Kiran George lost to Harsheel Dani 11-21, 21-18, 19-21; Abhishek Saini lost to Mithun M 16-21, 12-21; Kartikey Gulshan Kumar lost to Sourabh Varma 14-21, 12-21; Alap Mishra lost to Tharun M. 16-21, 7-21.
