KATHMANDU, Jan 5: Nepal´s ace badminton player Bikash Shrestha of Nepal Police Club (NPC) will get a chance to avenge his last year´s defeat by Ratnajit Tamang of Armed Police Force (APF) in the final of the Eighth Nationwide Krishna Mohan Memorial Badminton Tournament on Friday.
In the last edition, Shrestha had lost the semifinal match to the eventual runner-up Tamang, but on Thursday both the players won their respective semifinal matches in contrasting style. [break]
In the first semifinal of the men´s single category, Shrestha had a hard fought win over Dipesh Dhami of APF. Shrestha won the first set 21-19 and lost the second set by 17-21.
Dhami was looking aggressive in the third set and had taken a 11-6 lead by the interval but Shrestha was able to turn the tide in his favor and won the upcoming U-17 star with a score of 21-14.
In another semifinal, Tamang registered an easy win over his doubles partner Bibek Shrestha of APF. Tamang won the match 21-13, 21-13.
In the women´s singles, defending champion and two-time winner Pooja Shrestha of APF set up a mouth-watering final against two-time champion Sara Devi Tamang of Nepal Army Club (NAC). Tamang had not participated in the last edition of the tournament due to injury.
However, Tamang had defeated Shrestha in two straight sets last September during the First Pushpa Lal Memorial National Ranking Badminton Tournament. This was Tamang´s first comeback tournament after her injury.
In the first semifinal, Shrestha overcame fellow Sabina Panthi in two straight sets with a 21-17, 21-17. In another semifinal, Tamang defeated her own sister and runner-up of the last edition Nangsal Devi Tamang 21-12, 21-10.
In the women´s doubles semifinal matches, Pooja Shrestha and Nangsal Devi Tamang´s pair beat Sita Dahal and Kabita Karki´s pair 21-12, 21-14 and Sabina Panthi and Samjhana Khaling´s pair overcame Sujana Shrestha and Mina Shrestha´s pair 21-15, 21-19 for the final spot.
In men´s doubles semifinal matches, Sahadev Khadka and Pankaj Chand´s pair saw off Indra Mahato and Bal Ram Thapa´s pair 21-18, 21-15 and Ratnajit Tamang and Bibek Shrestha´s pair edged past Bikash Shrestha and Sajan Krishna Tamrakar´s pair 23-21, 15-21, 21-9 to advance into the final.
In the Fourth APF Open Lawn Tennis Tournament, Aslesha Lissanevitch and Bijisha Shrestha´s pair lifted the trophy in the women´s doubles category. Lissanevitch and Shrestha´s pair thumped Kalpana Thapa Magar and Ramita Kapali´s pair 6-0, 6-2.
In the men´s singles, three-time champion Kumar Adhikari, the defending champion, made it to the final defeating Shree Ram Magar from Lalitpur 7-6, 6-3.