Qualifier Karteek emerges champ
Hyderabad’s G. Sai Karteek Reddy has turned the tennis table upside down. He entered the Gurukul AITA-OTA `1 lakh All-India Men’s tennis ranking tournament at Bhubaneswar as a qualifier and went on to win it, beating the top two seeds in the process!
In the title round, Karteek defeated top seed Ansu Kumar Bhuyan of Orissa with a 6-3, 6-3 scoreline. Karteek was too good for his opponent, picking winners at crucial junctures.
Earlier in the semifinal, Karteek beat second seed Vilasier Khate of Haryana
6-2, 6-4.
In the quarterfinals, Karteek found himself in a corner against Kaivalya Kalamse of Maharashtra before bouncing back to beat him 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The second round too went into three sets, in which Karteek emerged a
3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victor against statemate V. Hevanth.
He had begun the main draw on a canter. The first round was awarded to him after his rival A. K. Rohit of Telangana retired with Karteek leading 6-1.
Earlier in the qualifying matches, Karteek had silenced Sai Sampreet of Andhra Pradesh 9-2 before rapping Raj Jitendra Bagde of Maharashtra 6-2,
6-4.
THE RESULTS Final: G. Sai Karteek Reddy (Telangana, Qualifier) bt Ansu Kumar Bhuyan (Orissa, 1) 6-3, 63. Semifinal: Karteek bt Vilasier Khate (Haryana) 6-2, 6-4. Quarterfinal: Karteek bt Kaivalya Kalamse (Maharashtra) 4-6, 6-3,
6-2. Second round: Karteek bt V. Hevanth (Telangana) 3-6, 6-0, 62. First round: Karteek bt A. K. Rohit (Telangana) 6-1, retd. Qualifying rounds: Karteek bt Sai Sampreet (Andhra Pradesh) 9-2. Karteek bt Raj Jitendra Bagde (Maharashtra) 6-2, 6-4.