Nagpur, July
Talented city shuttlers Aditya Yaud, Sairaj Nayse, Fizza Akbani and Mayank Rajput excelled at the Maharashtra Sub-Junior (U-11 and U-13) State Selection Badminton tournament in Sangli on Monday.
Sairaj Nayse entered the semi-finals in the U-13 boys singles and U-13 boys doubles with his partner Mayank Rajput. Aditya Yaul made it to the U-11 boys singles final and U-13 boys singles semis.
Fizza Akbani booked her place in the U-13 girls singles semis where she will face Pranjal Shinde.
Sairaj, a student of Narayana Vidyalayam, defeated Shourya Deshmukh 21-9, 21-7 in the pre-quarters. Later in the day, 12-year-old Sairaj downed Yash More 21-15, 25-23 in the quarters.
Sairaj will take on his citymate Aditya Yaul in the U-13 boys singles semis on Tuesday morning.
In the U-13 boys doubles quarters, Sairaj and Mayank made short work of Hemraj Lawange and Karan Sawale 21-9, 21-12 to sail into the last-four stage.
Sairaj and Mayank will lock horns with Saksham Pathania and Vishvajit Thavil for a spot in the final.
In the U-11 boys singles semis, Aditya dismissed Mayank 21-15, 21-12 in an all-Nagpur encounter. Aditya will clash with Pratham Raut in the final.