Madhwin Kamath played a stellar role, winning both his singles and doubles matches, in guiding Stag Babolat Yoddhas to a 3-1 victory over Raisoni Achievers and into the semifinals of the Pro Tennis League here on Thursday.
The 17-year-old Madhwin, ranked a modest 427 among the juniors in the world, thrived in experienced company and played a robust all-round game.
It was a tough start for the young boy as he battled Nishant Dabas in the opening rubber, staying strong despite missing four set points in the 10th game. In the tie-break, Madhwin was explosive as he raced to a 9-0 lead before closing the match out 10-1.
Vishaal Uppal and Saketh Myneni consolidated the position for the Yoddhas by beating Arjun Kadhe and Saurabh Singh.
It was a minor aberration when Saketh was blown off the court by Kadhe, that kept the race for semifinals alive.
Madhwin partnered Mayur Vasant for a telling victory over Saurabh Singh and Dilip Mohanty in the fourth rubber. The Yoddhas led 5-2 before the match got complicated. Madhwin held his nerve to unleash quality play that brought the curtains down on the Raisoni challenge.
In the semifinals to be played simultaneously from 3 p.m. on Friday, Stag Babolat Yoddhas will play Mohun’s Aces, while Tennis Fanatics will clash with Vamos Delhi.
The results: Group-A: Sankara Aces bt Court Kings 4-1 (Dipin Wadhwa lost to Siddhant Banthia 0-6; Tushar Jagota & Sidharth Rawat bt Vishnu Vardhan & Tushar Liberhan 6-4; Sidharth bt Vishnu 6-0; Dipin Wadhwa & Nitten Kirrtane bt Tushar & Vipin Sirpaul 6-2; Kirrtane & Pritam Yashwant bt Vipin & Vansh Kapoor 6-2).
Mohun’s Aces bt Tennis Fanatics 3-2 (Karan Srivastava lost to Kabir Hans 5-7; Vijay Sundar Prashanth & Ashutosh Singh lost to V.M. Ranjeet & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 4-6; Vijay Sundar bt Jeevan 6-3; Karan & Viney Mohun bt Kabir & Nishant Goel 7-5; Jagdish Tanwar & Viney bt Ranjeet & Nishant 6-3).
Group-B: Stag Babolat Yoddhas bt Raisoni Achievers 3-1 (Madhwin Kamath bt Nishant Dabas 7-6(10-1); Vishaal Uppal & Saketh Myneni bt Arjun Kadhe & Saurabh Singh 6-2; Myneni lost to Kadhe 1-6; Madhwin & Mayur Vasant bt Saurabh & Dilip Mohanty 6-4) .
