AHMEDABAD: Surat’s Dharmraj Rana held his nerves in a close contest to defeat Jagdeesh Makwana 11-7 6-11 9-11 11-4 11-8 13-11 to win his first state ranking men’s title in five years.
Ahmedabad’s Kausha Bhairapure bagged the youth girls’ title while Nutanshu Dayama of Surat was crowned the youth boys’ champion.Both Rana and Makwana, who are practice partners, started caustiously before Rana changed gears. Rana’s aggressive serves and forehand troubled Makwana.
In the youth girls’ final, top seed Kausha overcame the challenge of seventh seed Prarthana Parmar 13-11 6-1111-7 11-5 8-1111-7. Meanwhile, sixth seed Nutanshu Dayama defeated top seed Harshil Kothari of
Bhavnagar 12-10 13-11 11-3 11-5 to emerge champion in the youth boys’ final.
Nutanshu Dayama (left), Kausha Bhairapure and Dharmraj Rana with their trophies