Snigdha, Agarwal enter Fenesta semifinals

Rising stars Snigdha Kanta and Mannan Agarwal produced commanding performances to enter the semifinals of the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championships here on Thursday, showcasing the promise of India’s next generation of tennis talent.

In the girls’ under-16 singles, Karnataka’s Snigdha Kanta displayed grit and composure to overcome a stiff challenge from Diya Chaudhary, winning 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. The match began on a shaky note for Snigdha, who trailed 2-4 after Diya broke her serve with a sharp forehand winner. But Snigdha regrouped quickly, unleashing a series of aggressive baseline strokes to clinch four consecutive games and take the first set.

The second set was a closer affair, with both players exchanging service breaks to level at 4-4. Snigdha, however, raised her game in crucial moments using her quick footwork and attacking intent to win the next two games and seal her place in the semifinals.

In the boys’ under-16 category, seventh seed Mannan Agarwal made short work of Yashwin Dahiya, cruising to a 6-1, 6-3 victory. After losing the opening game, Agarwal found his rhythm and dominated the proceedings by breaking Yashwin’s serve thrice in each set. His consistency and control from the backcourt left little room for his opponent to recover.

Meanwhile, eighth seed Tavish Pahwa continued his fine form, battling past Shaurya Bhardwaj 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought encounter to also reach the boys’ U-16 semifinals.

In the younger categories, top seed Padma Rameshkumar eased into the girls’ U-14 semifinals, defeating Krishika Gautam 6-4, 6-1, while Aarav Mulay impressed in the boys’ U-14 singles, registering a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win over Kabir Parmar.

With several top seeds still in contention, the Fenesta Open has once again provided a competitive platform for India’s best junior players to make their mark on the national stage.