BOXING

Three Indian pro boxers to ply trade at Super Fighter Series at Bangkok on February 7

Tamil Nadu’s pro boxer Sabari Jaishankar will star in the Super Fighter Series, an international professional boxing event to be held on February 7 in Bangkok, where two other Indians from Mizoram, Laldinsanga and Vanlalawmpuia will also showcase their talent.

The high-octane action organised by Crown Boxing Promotions along with Grassroot Boxing Promotions features international boxers from the USA, France, Belarus, Ukraine, Thailand, besides the three Indians.

The Indian contender Jaishankar will cross swords with Rattakorn Tassaworn, a seasoned professional from Thailand. The Tamil Nadu boxer is the reigning WBC Middle East and WBC Australasia champion.

The event also features, Laldinsanga, the WBC Youth World title champion and a rising star in professional boxing. He will face Thailand’s Sarawut Jiamthong.

The third Indian, Vanlalawmpuia will take on Thailand’s Supachat Sukonthamanee, which promises to throw up an explosive contest as both fighters are known for their aggressive style.

-PTI

CRICKET

Bihar cricket body launches Bihar Rural League

The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) is going to organise a Bihar Rural League (BRL) with an aim to scout talented players from villages, schools, colleges, and block levels and bring them into the mainstream of cricket in the state.

Players aged 13 to 23 will be eligible to participate in this league. The selected players will then be provided with bigger platforms to represent Bihar.

“Bihar Rural League (BRL) is our initiative to identify and nurture talented players from villages, schools, colleges, and block levels who have yet to get a chance to showcase their skills. Through this league, we aim to bring them into the mainstream of cricket in Bihar,” said BCA President Rakesh Tiwari.

The league will begin with talent hunt programs conducted across all districts to select players and form 16 teams. These teams will compete in a district-level tournament, with matches held in a knockout format.

Each district will host 15 matches, including eight league games, four quarterfinals, two semifinals, and a final. A total of 570 matches will be played across all districts, with district finals featuring a celebrity, a star cricketer, and a brand ambassador.

Following the district-level competition, standout performers will form district teams to compete in the Bihar Rural League Super League. This phase will include 38 teams, divided into 8 groups, and follow a league-cum-knockout format. Nearly 10,000 players will participate in the league.

-Team Sportstar

TENNIS

ITF women’s tennis tournament: Sahaja Yamalapalli defeats Japanese qualifier Naho Sato to reach second round

Sahaja Yamalapalli fought her way past qualifier Naho Sato of Japan 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the NECC $60,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Deccan Gymkhana on Tuesday.

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty was the other Indian player to progress into the second round, and did so by outplaying qualifier Alana Smith of USA for the loss of three games.

Vaishnavi Adkar lost her singles in straight sets to qualifier Tian Fangran of China. However, in partnership with the 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran, Vaishnavi competed hard against the fourth seeds Alevtina Ibragimova and Elena Pridankina 6-7(6), 7-6(7), [7-10] in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

Another qualifier, Camilla Rosatello of Italy, knocked out the second seed Sara Bejlek in three sets in the singles first round.

The results:

Singles (first round): Leolia Jeanjean (Fra) bt Alice Robbe (Fra) 6-1, 6-2; Sahaja Yamalapalli bt Naho sato (Jpn) 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3; Tina Smith (Aus) bt Ariana Geerlings (Esp) 6-3, 7-6(4); Laura Pigossi (Bra) bt Alevtina Ibragimova 6-4, 6-0; Shrivalli Bhamidipaty bt Alana smith (USA) 6-1, 6-2; tian Fangran (Chn) bt Vaishnavi Adkar 6-3, 6-4; Kathinka von Deichmann (Lie) bt Daria Kudashova 6-4, 6-3; Iryna Shymanovich bt Zarina Diyas (Kaz) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Camilla Rosatello (Ita) bt Sara Bejlek (Cze) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Doubles (pr-quarterfinals): Eden Silva (GBR) & Anastasia Tikhonova bt Ines Ibbou (Alg) & Naima Karamoko (Sui) 7-6(6), 6-4; Lina Glushko (Isr) & Aleksandra Krunic (Srb) bt Camilla Rosatello (Ita) & Panna Udvardy (Hun) 2-6, 7-6(7), [10-7]; Alevtina Ibragimova & Elena Pridankina bt Vaishnavi Adkar & Maaya Rajeshwaran 7-6(6), 6-7(7), [10-7]; Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) & Naho Sato (Jpn) bt Zeel Desai & Pranjala Yadlapalli 6-2, 6-4; Yuriko Miyazaki (GBR) & Kathinka von Deichmann (Lie) bt Priska Nugroho (Ina) & Alana Smith (USA) 6-2, 6-4; Alicia Barnett (GBR) & Rutuja Bhosale bt Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) & Laura Pigossi (Bra) 6-7(5), 6-4, [10-4]; Alice Robbe (Fra) & Tina Smith (Aus) bt Jessica Failla (USA) & Ekaterina Yashina 6-2, 7-6(4); Maria Kozyreva & Iryna Shymanovich bt Shrivalli Bhamidipaty & Vaidehi Chaudhari 6-2, 6-1.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

ITF junior tennis tournament: Top seed Diya Ramesh beats qualifier Sanmitha Lokesh

Top seed Diya Ramesh beat qualifier Sanmitha Lokesh 6-2, 7-6(4) in the girls first round of the ITF junior tennis tournament at the Indore Tennis Club on Tuesday.

The results (first round):

Under-18 boys: Shaurya Swarup bt Abhinav Putta (Aus) 6-2, 6-0; Dev Patel bt Amit Moond 7-5, 6-1; Yashwin Dahiya bt Aarav Dhekial 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; Aashravya Mehra bt Sri Sai Mygapula 6-3, 6-2; Daksh Kukreti bt Prakaash Sarran 6-3, 6-2; Tanussh Ghildyal bt Fazal Ali Meer 6-2, 6-2.

Under-18 girls: Diya Ramesh bt Sanmitha Lokesh 6-2, 7-6(4); Saina Vaidya (Sgp) bt Divya Ungrish 2-6, 6-3, 6-3; Sejal Bhutada bt Nainika Bendram 3-2 (retired); Aanya Choubey bt Siya Prasade 6-3, 6-3; Deepshika Vinayagamurthy bt Asmi Raghuwanshi 6-2, 6-2.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

SHOOTING

Digvijay Singh shotgun championship: Suleman Elahi leads in men’s trap event

Suleman Elahi led with 74, following rounds of 25, 25, 24 in men’s trap in the third Digvijay Singh shotgun championship at the Madhya Pradesh Academy on Tuesday.

Nine shooters Aakash Kushwaha, Vivaan Kapoor, Vinay Pratap Singh, Akash Saharan, Olympian Prithviraj Tondaiman, Arshad Khan, Mohd.

Sultan, Fahd Sultan and Rayyan Rizvi, were on 73.

National champion Shardul Vihan was in the 27th spot, following rounds of 24, 23 and 23.

In women’s trap, Neeru, Preeti Rajak and Pragati Dubey were in joint lead with 95, after four rounds. They were followed by Olympian Rajeshwari Kumari (94) and Bhavya Tripathi (92).

The top-6 shooters will make the finals after five rounds.

-Kamesh Srinivasan