Following four days of exhilarating qualifying rounds filled with high-quality action, the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament 2024 officially commenced its Main Draw matches at the multipurpose stadium in Peddem. Organised by the Goa Badminton Association, the eight-day tournament is being conducted under the aegis of the Badminton Association of India, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of Goa.
The prestigious national ranking tournament was inaugurated with grandeur by Swetika Sachan, IAS, Secretary of Sports, Government of Goa. Dr. Geeta Nagvenkar, Executive Director of The Sports Authority of Goa, Prabhakar Rao, Observer from the Badminton Association of India, Omar Rashid, Convenor of the Tournament Committee from BAI, along with GBA EC members Manoj Patil, President of GBA, Praveen Shenoy, Secretary of GBA, and Sanjay Bhobe, Treasurer of GBA, graced the inaugural function.
Representing the host state, Goa, in the Main Draw are the following players who secured their positions through the State Quota:
•Aarush Sandesh Pawaskar and Sudhanva Udupa (BS U15)
•Ritika Chelluri and Saanvi Audi (GS U15)
•Arnav Saraf and Shane D’souza (BD U15)
•Isha Borkar and Jewel Abranches (GD U15)
•Sparsh Kolwalkar and Aaryaa Metry (XD U15)
•Advait Balakrishnan and Soham Naik (BS U17)
•Ritika Chelluri and Shivanjali Thite (GS U17)
•Om Nandanwar and Shaurya Naik (BD U17)
•Sufiya Shaikh and Shivanjali Thite (GD U17)
•Shaheen Cherkala Kunjutty and Sufiya Shaikh (XD U17)
Among these talented athletes, Aarush Pawaskar demonstrated his prowess by qualifying in the Main Draw through the National Ranking Quota in Boys U15 Doubles. Notably, he is ranked 5th in India, partnering with Yash Sinha from Maharashtra. Additionally, Sanvi Audi and Shane D’ Souza exhibited remarkable performances in the qualifying draw, securing their berths in the Main Draw in Mixed Doubles U15.
In the Boys Singles U15 category, notable seeded players such as Girivasan Saravana Kumar (Seed 1), Tanish Choksi (Seed 6), Karansh Naidu (Seed 7), Pushkar Sai (Seed 9), Prangan Choudhury (Seed 3), and Vedant Pahwa (Seed 2) successfully advanced to the Round of 16. However, Goa’s Aarush Pawaskar faced a tough challenge and narrowly lost to Satheesh S. K. Vasudev with a score of 22-20, 21-17 in a closely contested match during the first round of the main draw. Sudhanva Udupa from Goa also encountered a formidable opponent, Arnav Sharma, and lost with a score of 21-3, 21-8 in the first round.
In the Girls Singles U15 category, top-seeded players including Hithaishree L. Rajaiah (Seed 1), Yashwi Patel (Seed 8), Remya Pravin (Seed 4), Hitha Maria Jose (Seed 5), Shaina Manimuthu (Seed 3), Tanvi Patri (Seed 2), and Aikya Shetty (Seed 6) progressed into the Round of 16. Despite a valiant effort, Ritika Chelluri from Goa faced a tough challenge and lost to Jaya Saptha Sri with a score of 21-12, 13-21, 21-15 in a hard-fought match. Sanvi Audi (Goa) succumbed to a 21-3, 21-11 defeat to Alisha Bhandari.
In the Boys Singles U17 category, players like Prateek Koundilya (Seed 6), Pranit Somani, Dev Ruparelia (Seed 3), Aanayan Borah (Seed 8), and Abhinav Garg (Seed 7) confidently marched into the Round of 16. Unfortunately, Goa’s Advait Balakrishnan faced a tough opponent, Shaurya Agarwal, and lost with a score of 21-8, 21-11, while Soham Naik from Goa also faced a strong competitor, Pranav M., and lost with a score of 21-11, 21-14.
In the Girls Singles U17 category, top-seeded players including Tanvi Reddy Andluri (Seed 1), Medhavi Nagar (Seed 4), Garima Kundu (Seed 6), Jade Anil (Seed 3), Jananika R. (Seed 9), Baruni Parshwal (Seed 7), and Adarshini Shri N.B. (Seed 2) secured their places in the Round of 16. Despite their efforts, Ritika Chelluri and Shivanjali Thite from Goa faced tough opponents and lost to Mansita Mohapatra and Aikya Shetty respectively, with scores of 21-14, 21-10 and 21-4, 21-10.
