Kathmandu, April 29

Samrakshyak Bhushan Bajracharya and Ira Rawat won the titles of the fifth Citizens Bank Open Tennis Championships here at the Dasharath Stadium courts today.

Defending champion Bajracharya defeated Jitendra Pariyar in straight sets of 6-4, 6-4 in the men’s singles final, while Rawat became the new champion after she registered a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Mahika Rana in the final of the women’s singles. Bajracharya and Rawat received Rs 30,000 each, while runners-up Pariyar and Rana got Rs 15,000 apiece. On Friday, Bajracharya and Mayanka Rana had won the mixed doubles titles.

The pair of Sanjay Amatya and Dharma Ratna Shahi won the Above-45 men’s doubles title without hitting the ball after they received walkover from their opponents Raju Chhetri and Degendra Shrestha. Amatya and Shahi received Rs 15,000, while Chhetri and Shrestha got Rs 7,500.

Other winners of the tournament included Pradeep Shah (Above-55 and Above-45 veteran singles), Kamal Bhandari (Above-35 veteran singles), Kamal Bhandari and Mahesh Shrestha (Above-35 veteran doubles), and Manoj Rana and Chhyamba Dundup (Above-55 veteran doubles).

In all, 252 players took part in the tournament organised by Kathmandu District Lawn Tennis Association under the sponsorship of Citizens Bank International Limited. The event carried a cash purse of Rs 321,000 and gift hampers worth Rs 64,000.

Minister for Youth and Sports Daljit Sripaili, President of All Nepal Lawn Tennis Association Jyoti Rana, General Secretary Manohar Das Mool, Citizens Bank Chairman Shankar Prasad Sharma and CEO Rajan Singh Bhandari handed over the prizes to the winners.