Albert bags open badminton crown
MUSCAT: Albert VR asserted his supremacy as the top badminton player in the country when he showed character and doggedness to clinch the open men’s singles crown of the National Bank of Oman-sponsored Annual Badminton Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC) Muscat.
The duo of Prabhu AR and Niyas Nirar shared the limelight winning the ISC men’s doubles title with a brilliant victory in the final.
The concluding day of the tournament began with an all-Omani exhibition match between Salim bin Sultan Al Maqbali and Mohamed bin Ghuloom Fajwani.
Top seed Albert VR then took on second seed Mohamad Harouz in the open men’s singles final and emerged winner after a hard-fought three-setter against his doubles partner. It was a well-deserved victory for Albert who came through the initial rounds of the tournament with a couple of scares. He overcame Harouz with final scores of 21-16, 18-21, 21-18. Albert was wary of Harouz’s capabilities and held an 11-8 lead at the break.
The lead quickly vanished as Harouz rallied to level at 14-all. With brilliant placements, Albert gained a marginal lead and wrapped up the first game.
Harouz came out with all guns blazing in the second game and quickly raced to a 17-13 lead.
Two brilliant smashes on the flanks saw him consolidate and gain game point. Albert saved two, but another powerful smash and it was one-game-all. Harouz gained the early lead in the decider and at one stage it looked as if fatigue was taking its toll on Albert.
The game was evenly poised at the break as Harouz maintained a marginal lead. A seasoned campaigner that he is, Albert gradually took control as pressure told on Harouz who smashed two into the net as Albert reached 20-17.
Harouz saved one match point but his next return went long handing the men’s crown to the top seed and a double crown having won the open men’s doubles with Harouz as his partner.
The second seeded team of Prabhu AR and Niyas Nirar played with sound understanding and brilliant reflexes to stun the top seeded team of Percy Pereira and PT Francis to lift the ISC men’s doubles title. In a thrilling final, Prabhu and Niyas did not give the top seeds any respite and banged winner after winner to claim victory with a 21-16, 21-15 triumph.
Ali bin Humeid Al-Saeidi, Deputy Director of Sports Activities at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, and Sundaram Padmanabhan, Product Advisory Consultant at National Bank of Oman, gave away the prizes.
Also present was CM Sardar, vice-chairman of the ISC, office bearers of the club and a packed house of badminton enthusiasts.