Kathmandu, December 23

The pair of Dipesh Dhami and Shova Gauchan advanced to the mixed doubles final of the Yonex Sunrise Nepal International Series here at NSC covered hall today.

In the semi-final match, Dhami and Gauchan defeated Malaysian duo of Eveshgaran Vasigaran and Dharshinie Vasigaran 21-17, 16-21, 22-20. The Nepali pair, who won gold medal in the Pakistan International Series earlier this year, almost squandered the 20-16 lead in the deciding set. But they won two straight points from 20-all to make it to the final.

Dhami-Gauchan will face Indian pair of V Devlekar and Harika Veludurthi, who outplayed Nepal’s Ratnajit Tamang and Nangshal Tamang 21-16, 21-7 in another semi-final match. The Nepali duo put up a tough fight in the first set but were totally outplayed in the second. The Tamang siblings had won Nepal’s maiden international gold medal in Pakistan two years ago before losing it to the pair of Dhami and Gauchan in the next edition.

Meanwhile, L Saran and S Jaiswal set the all-India men’s singles final. Sarang saw off his countryman Rahul Bhardwaj 21-17, 21-17, while Jaiswal beat Le DucPhat of Vietnam 21-18, 14-21, 21-14.

Iran’s S Aghaeihajiagha beat Thet Htar Tuzar of Myanmar 20-22, 21-18, 25-23 and Hong Kong’s Deng Joy Xuan outplayed Thi Trang of Vietnam 21-18, 21-19 to enter the women’s singles final.

In women’s doubles semi-final matches, the pair of H Veludurthi and Karishma Wadkar saw off fellow Indian duo B Bailpudi and Varsha V Belawadi 25-23, 19-21, 21-13, while another Indian pair of ArpanaBalan and Sruti KP beat Aktar Shapla and Alina Shultana of Bangladesh 21-12, 21-17.

In men’s doubles category, Singaporean pair of D Chrisnanta and Hee Yong Kai Terry saw off Malaysian duo Amar Md Sani and Amir Md Sani 21-8, 21-15, while Malaysian pair of Jien Sern Ian Wong and Chee Tean Tan defeated Vietnam’s Minh Bao and Bao Duc Duong 21-17, 21-20 and made it to the final.