Nagpur: The immensely talented paddler Jennifer Varghese of Nagpur continues to shine at international events. She won U-15 girls singles and mixed doubles golds in the WTT Youth Contender that concluded at Rio De Janeiro in Brazil on Sunday.
In the U-15 girls singles final, the Nagpur girl was too good for compatriot Sayanika Maji winning 3-1. The summit clash lasted 23 minutes and 57 seconds. After taking the first two games 11-4 and 11-8, Jennifer lost the third 6-11 but then got her act together to take the fourth 11-9.
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Wenesday 31 Oct. 2024
In the semis, Jennifer beat Riana Bhoota 3-1 (13-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4). After a second game debacle, Jennifer bounced back in style giving no chance to her opponent. In the quarters, Jennifer blanked local girl Maiara Agnone Sena Alves of Brazil 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-4).
Jennifer and Abhinandh PB scored a hard-fought win in the mixed doubles final. The Indian pair defeated the Brazil combo of Lucas Romanski and Julia Hatakeyama 3-2 with the match lasting 45 minutes and 51 seconds. Jennifer-Abhinandh lost the first game but then took two in a row only to lose the fourth that levelled the score at 2-2. But they regrouped in time to take the final game. The scores read 9-11, 11-8, 13-11, 11-13, 11-9. In mixed doubles semis, Jennifer-Abhinandh humbled Hamilton Yamane and Abigail Menezes Araujo, also of the host nation, 11-8, 11-5, 11-2.
