Ramaiya makes flying start in Dar Cup

Dar es Salaam. Dhyanesh Ramaiya of Khalsa A made a flying start in the men’s singles of Guru Nanak badminton tournament as he beat Shishikunj’s Harsheed Chohan 21-10, 21-9 at Khalsa Sports Club court last night.

Organised by Khalsa Sports Club, the six-day championship has attracted eight Dar es Salaam-based teams. The teams have been put in two groups of four each.

The teams are competing in men’s singles and mixed doubles in the tournament which will reach its climax next weekend.

Besides Khalsa A, the other teams battling it out for the title are Badminton Institute, Khalsa B, Anadil Bhuruan, Kalamandalam, Ramgharia, Lohana and Shishukunj.

Ramaiya, one of the best badminton players in the country at the moment, had little mercy on his opponent in the exciting match.

He has magnificent defence, quick reflexes in the game and deftness of touch that usually put his opponents at bay. After a bright start, Ramaiya faced some anxious moments later as trailed behind at one point before asserting his supremacy to silence his opponent and launch his campaign with a bang. “Chohan is a great player, he played some attacking shots,” said Ramaiya shortly after the game.

“I made a few mistakes here and there, but in the end it was a good win,” he added.

Earlier, Jagroop Singh and Hassanali Haji of Khalsa A defeated Umang Somaini and Dipen Patei of Shishikunj 21-15,21-14 in the men’s doubles.

In yesterday’s other men’s doubles, Khalsa A’s Girish Kumar and Chetan Moddessa beat Mukesh Shah and Harsheed Chohan of Shishikunj 21-93, 21-10.