Dipesh Dhami of Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club and Prince Dahal of Silk Group set the men’s singles title clash in the 15th Krishna Mohan Memorial Open National Badminton Championships on Thursday,

Dhami  eased past Praful Maharjan of Tribhuvan Army Club 21-12, 21-15 while Dahal  saw off Jivan Acharya of Nepal Police Club (NPC) 21-19, 21-11 in the semi-finals. Jessica Gurung of APF and Rasila Maharjan of TAC set the women’s singles championship clash. Gurung beat Army club shuttler Amita Gurung 21-13, 21-11 and Maharjan beat clubmate Anu Maya Rai 21-15, 21-12 in their last four clashes.

Dahal kept himself on course for a double title after the Silk Group shuttler reached the U-17 singles final as well defeating Priyanshu Chhetri of APF 21-11, 21-9. He will take on Pemba Sherpa of APF, who defeated Diwash Shankar of TAC 21-14, 24-22 in the other semi-final match, in the final. Rasila Maharjan also made it to the U-17 girls’ singles final defeating Nita Lamshal of Morang 21-17, 21-14 and will face another Morang shuttler Sima Rajbanshi for title. Rajbanshi saw off Ranjana Bhatta of TAC in the other U-17 girls’ singles semi-final match.

Dhami and Bijeet Thapa Magar of APF teamed up to dispatch Deepak Bohara and Jivan Acharya 21-18, 21-17 in the men’s doubles semi-finals. The APF duo will play for the title against Army shuttlers Praful Maharjan and Suroj Maharjan, who got the better of Sudeep Sedai and Sajan Krishna Tamrakar 21-14, 21-19 in the other semi-final match. The pair of Pooja Shrestha and Jessica Gurung of APF set the women’s doubles championship showdown with Anu Maya Rai and Rasila Maharjan of TAC. Shrestha-Gurung dispatched Amita Giri-Ranjana Bhatta of TAC 21-13, 21-11 and Rai-Maharjan saw of Shova Gauchan-Sunayana Mukhiya of APF 21-18, 21-15 in the semi-finals.

Dhami increased his prospect to completing a triple titles after also making it to the mixed doubles final. Dhami and Pooja Shrestha defeated their APF teammates Gautam Kathayat and Sunayana Mukhiya 21-12, 21-6 . They will take yet against take on fellow APF clubmates Thapa Magar and Shova Gauchan in the final. Thapa Magar and Gauchan battled to a 22-20, 21-17 win over Army club shuttlers Suroj and Amita.

Nick Rastrup and Ivanhoe Lissanevitch, meanwhile, set the men’s singles championship clash in the 11th Sahabir Memorial Open Lawn Tennis Tournament on Thursday. Rastrup stunned Jitendra Pariyar 6-2, 6-1 and Lissan-evitch beat Pranab Khanal 6-1, 6-1 in the semi-finals. In volleyball, APF set the title date with New Diamond Academy. APF beat departmental rivals NPC 25-23, 25-17, 18-25, 25-12 and New Diamond overcame Army club 25-23,, 23-25, 25-21, 25-20 in the semi-finals.