Tanisha-Ashwini Sathish triumph Anmol runner-up at Guwahati Masters

     Guwahati, Dec 8 (PTI) Sathish Karunakaran clinched the men's singles title, while the women's doubles pair Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa defended their crown at the Guwahati Masters Super 100 badminton tournament here on Sunday.
     Sathish, the 2023 Odisha Open Super 100 champion, defeated Zhu Xuan Chen of China 21-17, 21-14 in 44 minutes to give India a second title.
     The top-seeded Tanisha and Ashwini also secured a straight-game victory earlier when they defeated China's Li Hua Zhou and Wang Zi Meng 21-18, 21-12 in 43 minutes.
Rising Indian shuttler Anmol Kharb also came agonisingly close to a maiden Super 100 title before finishing runner-up after losing 21-14 13-21 19-21 to China's Cai Yan Yan in women's singles final.
The world No. 16 Tanisha and Ashwini began with a bang, surging to an 8-2 lead. However, the Chinese pair narrowed the gap to 10-11 at the mid-game interval and kept the pressure on, trailing closely until 18-19. The Indian duo then held their nerves to secure the final two points and take the first game.
The second game started competitively, but the Indians pulled away with a seven-point spree, racing to a 15-6 lead. They maintained the momentum to decisively close out the match and retain the title.
The 78-minute women's singles final was a see-saw battle, with Anmol showcasing her skills to dominate the opening game, breaking away from a 4-4 tie to establish a steady lead.
A powerful straight smash handed Anmol six game points, and she sealed the opener when her opponent sent the shuttle wide.
However, Cai displayed greater intent in the second game, leaving Anmol in a chasing position. The Chinese shuttler surged to a 10-4 lead, extending it to 14-6, and eventually secured the game comfortably to force a decider.
The third game was an intense affair, with both players neck-and-neck throughout. Anmol started strong, leading 4-0 and 10-8, but Cai clawed her way back to edge ahead at 18-16.
Anmol managed to level the score at 19-19, but a powerful smash from Cai gave the Chinese match point. Anmol's error at the net ultimately handed Cai the victory, extending the Indian's wait for a Super 100 title.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)