Double delight for Nandagopal at the All India Senior Doubles Ranking

Nandagopal Kidambi bagged two titles in men’s doubles and mixed doubles events at the All India Senior Doubles Rankings badminton tournament which held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

In the men’s doubles category, Nandagopal with Alwin Francis defeated Anjan and Ranjan of Assam with 21-14, 21-15 in the final match, while fifth seeded Nandagopal pairing with Rutuparna Panda defeated Arundhati Pantawane and Gouse Shaik with 21-16, 21-13 in the 35-minute mixed doubles final match.

In the women’s doubles final match, the new pair Arundhati with Rutuparna Panda, trainees at Gopichand Academy, beat Ritika Thaker and Simran Sindhi with 21-16, 21-10. And intriguely both the finalist were unseeded at the tournament, after ousting several seeds.

Playing with different partners, city shuttlers Arundhati and Ritika were on the opposite side of the court - battle between the senior and the junior - at the Babu Banarasi Das Academy at Lucknow on Sunday.

RESULTS (Finals):

Women's doubles: Arundhati Pantawane/Rutaparna Panda beat Ritika Thaker/Simran Singhi with 21-16, 21-10;

Mixed doubles: Gouse Shaik/Arundhati Pantawane lost to Nandagopal Kidambi/Rutaparna Panda with 21-16, 21-13;