TENNIS

Chandrasekar-Prashanth pair advances in US Open

Indian men’s doubles pair of Anirudh Chandrasekar and Vijay Sundar Prashanth advanced to the second round of the US Open after upsetting eighth-seeded local favourites Christian Harrison and Evan King in three sets.

Chandrasekar and Prashanth won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour 42 minutes, riding on a far superior first and second serve.

Chandrasekar and Prashanth will take on Australia’s John-Patrick Smith and Brazil’s Fernando Romboli in the second round.

Another Indian pair of Rithvik Bollipalli and N. Balaji, however, lost their opening-round match. They fought hard but fell short against Bart Stevens and Vasil Kirkov, bowing out 6-3, 6-7(10), 4-6.

-PTI

Udit wins double crown

Udit Kamboj beat Sagar Kumar to clinch the title in the Rs. 100,000 AITA men’s tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex on Saturday.

Top seed Udit led 6-7(2), 6-3, 3-0 when his opponent Sagar Kumar retired, after the final had already stretched over three hours in humid conditions.

Udit Kamboj, who won a double crown in the AITA men’s tennis tournament in Delhi
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

It was a double crown for Udit, as he won the doubles title with Priyanshu Chaudhary, beating the Sood twins, Chandril and Lakshit 10-2 in the super tie-break of the final.

Despite heavy rains this week, the organisers did an admirable job of completing the tournament, which had 189 entries in the qualifying event itself.

– Kamesh Srinivasan

Ribhav, Khushi win AITA National Series Juniors titles

Ribhav Saroha and Khushi Kadian won the boys and girls titles respectively in the HPCL Mittal AITA National series Under-16 tennis tournament at the CLTA Complex.

Ribhav beat Harsh Marwaha 6-3, 6-4 in the boys final, while Khushi beat Sarena Gahlot 6-3, 6-3 in the girls final.

– Kamesh Srinivasan

S Mukund loses semifinals

Third seed Dominik Palan of Czechia beat top seed S Mukund 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the $15,000 ITF men’s tennis tournament in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

Sai Karteek Reddy won the doubels title in partnership with Thantub Suksumrarn of Thailand.

– Kamesh Srinivasan

CRICKET

CAB Annual Awards Event: Akash Deep receives special award from Sourav Ganguly

India pacer Akash Deep received a special award for his impressive performance in the recent Test series in England during annual Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) awards on Saturday.

Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was part of the India A squad for the tour of UK this summer, also received a special award for his contribution to the side.

In a glittering ceremony, the CAB handed the Kartick Bose Lifetime Achievement Award to former cricketers Arup Bhattacharjee and Shyama Shaw.

Akash Deep, after receiving the award, said, “I would like to thank the CAB for this award. This Association has helped me in my cricketing journey immensely and helped me where I am today. I want to thank each and every one at CAB..

Former BCCI and CAB president Sourav Ganguly, who was present on the occasion, praised Akash Deep..

“I would like to congratulate all the winners. Each and every player has worked hard to reach this stage. I wish everyone the best for the upcoming season,” the former India captain said.

The ceremony, which was held at the Dhono Dhanyo auditorium, saw CAB president Snehasish Ganguly offering some encouraging words for the Bengal cricketers.

“It is a special day for all the cricketers of Bengal. It’s a day of recognition for their hard work and also reward for their sacrifice they have done throughout the season.

“I would like to congratulate all the individuals who have received an award this evening for their performance in the season 2024-2025. I wish everyone the best for the upcoming season,” Snehasish said.

Alongside CAB president, the state association’s secretary Naresh Ojha, vice president Amalendu Biswas, treasurer Prabir Chakrabarty were part of the event. Also present on the occasion were ex CAB office bearers, chairperson of various committees, former international players, apex council members and members of all affiliated units.

A total of around 206 awards were given in the evening.

– PTI

BADMINTON

Jharkhand to host East Zone Badminton Championship from September 4

Around 180 shuttlers from six States will vie for top honours during the four-day East Zone Badminton Championship, beginning in Jamshedpur on September 4.

The players from Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and host Jharkhand will be seen in action in the singles, doubles and mixed events of senior and under-19 category during the championship.

K. Prabhakar Rao, Secretary of Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA), said the selected players have shown exceptional talent and dedication at the state championships.

“We are confident that they will represent Jharkhand with great spirit and sportsmanship at the zonal level, “ Rao said.

Jharkhand’s top-ranked shuttlers, Sarah Sharma (girls’ u-19), Manisha Rani Tirkey (Women Senior), Krish Dubey and Suraj Pratap Singh (boys’ u-19), and Safi Akram will represent the State.

The teams were picked through the State Junior U19 & Senior Badminton Championship cum Selection Trials 2025 at Hazaribagh.

-PTI

PICKLEBALL

Selection trials underway in Ahmedabad to pick Team India for Pickleball World Cup 2025

The Indian Pickleball Association (IPA), the recognised National Sports Federation for Pickleball under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), today commenced selection trials at the IPA Centre of Excellence in Ahmedabad to form the first-ever official Indian Pickleball Team.

The two-day trials (August 30–31) will determine the squad that will represent India at the Second Edition of the Pickleball World Cup, sanctioned by the Global Pickleball Federation, to be held in Florida, USA, from October 27 to November 2, 2025.

The competition is being held across three categories. In the Under-16 category, two boys and two girls will be selected, with no singles events being played. The Open category will see the men’s and women’s singles winners, along with the men’s and women’s doubles winners, earn their spots in the team. 

– Team Sportstar

HEYBALL

Sundeep Gulati and Vidya Pillai emerge as champions in inaugural National Heyball Championships

Sundeep Gulati of Delhi and Vidya Pillai of Chennai emerged the champions in the inaugural National Heyball Championship at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) here.

Sundeep beat Kamal Chawla of Railways 7-6 in the men’s final. Vidya recovered from being down 1-3 to beat Amee Kamani of Madhya Pradesh 8-6 in the women’s final.

Sundeep Gulati and Vidya Pillai were the champions of the inaugural National Heyball Championship on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

“This title means a lot for me as only the winner gets to compete in the Champion of Champions event in Australia next month,” said Vidya, who had recently won the Commonwealth billiards title.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

WEIGHTLIFTING

Four Indian gold medallists confirm places at 2026 Commonwealth Games during Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships

Samoa’s Sanele Mao’s better snatch effort helped him claim the men’s +110kg title on the concluding day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Naranpura, here on Saturday.

Mao, who hoisted 181kg in snatch, set two records as he aggregated 401kg to win by four kg. Indian lifter Lovepreet Singh took the bronze with 380kg behind New Zealander David Liti (397kg).

Mehak Sharma picked up a silver in women’s +86kg category.

Tushar Chaudhary (285kg) pocketed +94kg men’s youth and junior crowns.

Altogether four Indian gold medallists, including Mirabai Chanu (women’s 48kg), Rishikanta Singh (60kg), N. Ajith (71kg) and V. Ajaya Babu (79kg), booked their berths in the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

-Y.B. Sarangi

HOCKEY

Punjab League season two set to begin on Sunday

The second edition of the Punjab Hockey League for juniors, featuring eight teams, and a total prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh, organised by Roundglass Academy and Punjab Hockey will start at the Mohali International Stadium on Sunday.

Roundglass Academy, Namdhari Academy, Surjit Academy (Jalandhar), SGPC Academy (Amritsar) will be the teams from Punjab. SDAT Academy (Tamil Nadu), Naval Tata Academy (Jamshedpur), Ghumanhera Risers Academy (Delhi) and SAI National Centre of Excellence (Sonipat) will be the other teams.

The first stage of the league will be from August 31 to September 9 in Mohali. The second stage including the semifinals and final will be in Jalandhar from September 15 to 27.

Each team will have 20 players, three in the Under-21 age group, and the rest in the Under-19 age group. There will be a total of 60 matches.

“This league for juniors is designed to inspire young athletes, give them a taste of top-level competition, and reignite nationwide enthusiasm for hockey,” said the founder of Roundglass, Gurpreet Sunny Singh.

“The structured competition provides essential match exposure fordeveloping players, and a platform for tactical innovation among coaches. With every team playing 14 matches, the format ensures both growth and consistency. We are confident that this league will strengthen grassroots hockey in Punjab and inspire similar initiatives across the country,” said the president of Punjab Hockey, Nitin Kohli.

– Kamesh Srinivasan

GOLF

Ahlawat in top-10 at halfway stage, Sharma misses cut

India’s Veer Ahlawat put together one of his best rounds of the season with a 6-under 64 that gave him a chance to earn a top-10 finish at the Omega European Masters here.

Ahlawat, who had a 69 in the first round of the weather-hit DP World Tour event, faced multiple suspensions at the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Course. At 7-under 133 for two rounds, he was tied 10th at the halfway stage.

However, compatriot Shubhankar Sharma missed the cut despite producing a first round of even par and a second round of 2-under 68.

– PTI

TABLE TENNIS

TTAK’s new corporate tournament to help State TT players land jobs

With over 90 per cent of Kerala’s State players yet to find jobs, the Table Tennis Association of Kerala has decided to start a corporate tournament which will offer a stage for these players to get noticed by companies.

The tournament, which will be held in January in Kochi, will allow corporate teams to sign players who have represented the State or districts, as guest players.

DROPPING OUT IN FRUSTRATION

“Nearly 95 per cent of our senior players are unemployed. And because of this, we have even had cases of State No. 2 and 3 players giving up the sport in frustration. This corporate tournament could help these players to get jobs in corporate firms,” Michael Mathai, the TTAK secretary, told The Hindu on Saturday.

“Teams in the corporate tournament’s ‘professional category’ must have a minimum of three players and a maximum of five and at least one player should be a female. Corporate teams can also have an all-guest team. If these players do well, they could get jobs in these firms.”

TWO CATEGORIES

The corporate tournament will have two categories: a professional class and an amateur class. While players in the professional category should have represented the State or district, players in the amateur class should be employed in the company they represent.

Meanwhile, the TTAK has decided to have the State championship in Kannur from November 27 to 30.

– Stan Rayan

FOOTBALL

Jharkand beats Manipur 3-2, wins third Sub-Junior Girls’ National Championship title

Jharkhand clinched the Sub Junior Girls’ National Football Championship 2025-26 Tier 1, with a 3-2 win over Manipur in a thrilling final at the Jorhat Stadium in Assam on Saturday, August 30, 2025.

After a tense first half, Jharkhand broke the deadlock right before half-time in the 45th minute, when Waikhom Lanthoi Chanu scored an own goal.

Soon after the break, Anamika Kumari added a second turning in a well-placed cross to make it 2-0.

In the 56th minute, Lanthoi redeemed herself when she gave Manipur hope with a thunderous long-range strike from near the halfway line, sailing over the ‘keeper into the net.

Jharkhand, however, responded three minutes later. Brought down in a dangerous position, Nensi Munda won a free kick and stepped up, curling it past the ‘keeper, making it 3-1.

Manipur refused to give up and struck again in the 84th minute, narrowing the gap to 2-3. They nearly forced an equaliser from a free-kick in added time, but Jharkhand’s goalkeeper Palak Mahto stood tall to ensure a 3-2 win.

-Team Sportstar

Published on Aug 30, 2025