Saroha and Siwach Kick Off U-16 Campaigns with Dominant Wins
Top seed Ribhav Saroha and Paranjay Siwach secure dominant victories in the U-16 category at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championships.
The second week of the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championships at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex saw high-octane action as the U-16 and U-14 competitions officially commenced. Leading the charge were top seed Ribhav Saroha and third seed Paranjay Siwach, both of whom secured convincing victories to advance in the tournament.
Saroha Eyes the Double
Fresh off his triumph in the U-18 boys’ singles title last week, Ribhav Saroha wasted no time in establishing his dominance in the U-16 category. He faced off against Raghav Sarode, delivering a controlled performance to win 6-4, 6-2.
Despite his recent success, Saroha remained grounded regarding his pursuit of a second title in as many weeks. Speaking after his match, the youngster emphasized the difficulty of the national stage.
"The confidence is high. If I am performing well in U-18s, obviously my confidence is very high in U-16s as well. I played against Raghav Sarode, and he is a really good friend of mine. The first set was close, but in the second set I was able to pull off quite easily," Saroha said.
He added that he is prepared to "grind" through the week, noting that nothing comes easy at the Fenesta Open because of the high caliber of talent present in the national championships.
Siwach and Other Seeded Performers Shine
Third seed Paranjay Siwach also delivered a masterclass in efficiency, dismantling Bhavik with a 6-1, 6-1 scoreline. While Siwach admitted his opponent started strong, he noted that staying focused allowed him to find his rhythm and dictate the match.
Other notable performances from the seeded players included:
- Vivaan Mirdha (8th seed): Defeated Mahijith Kaura 6-1, 6-2.
- Divey Malik (5th seed): Overcame Sai Kanithi 7-6(3), 6-3.
- Jeevith Sathish (7th seed): Beat Charchit Boora 6-4, 6-2.
- Monodip Dey (12th seed): Defeated Heet Kandoriya 6-4, 6-0.
- Rishi Yadav (11th seed): Beat Govardan Suresh 6-2, 6-0.
- Anay Pandey (16th seed): Won against Rishik Kanchugatla 6-1, 6-4.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the favorites, as fourth seed Yash Sharma suffered a setback, losing to Aaryan Kirrtane in a hard-fought three-set battle: 6-2, 4-6, 6-10.
Girls' U-16 Action: Emphatic Wins and Tight Battles
The girls' U-16 singles category also saw intense competition. Aniha Gavinolla stood out with one of the most clinical performances of the day, recording a perfect 6-0, 6-0 victory over Sarah Rais.
Other key results in the girls' draw included:
- Rabiah Dullet: Defeated Pun Pratiksha 7-5, 6-1.
- Pooja Nagaraj: Beat Aayushri Tarange 6-1, 6-1.
- Sarithra Entoori: Won a tight contest against Japji Badohal 7-6(3), 6-4.
- Unnathi Muralidhar: Advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Janhavi Sawant.
- Bawyasri Asr: Defeated Aashi Shamshery 6-2, 6-1.
Weather Disruptions at DLTA
The schedule faced significant challenges due to heavy morning rain, which caused play to run nearly four hours behind schedule. To compensate for the delay, organizers have planned extended playing hours for both Monday and Tuesday, with some remaining matches from Monday being rescheduled for the following day.