Dipesh Dhami and Ratnajit Tamang set an all-Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) title clash of the 12th Krishna Mohan Memorial Open Badminton Championship on Wednesday.

In the semi-final matches at the APF headquarters in Halchowk, Dhami defeated clubmate Bikash Shrestha 21-18, 14-21, 21-13 and defending champion Tamang overcame Bishnu Katuwal of Nepal Police Club (NPC) 21-14, 21-9. Another TAC shuttler Nangsal Tamang fixed the women’s final date with clubmate Amita Giri.

Nangsal eased to a 21-17, 21-10 win over Shobha Gauchan of Armed Police Force (APF) Club 21-17, 21-10 and Giri sidelined Shikshya Shrestha of APF 21-11, 24-22. Sunil Joshi of Kanchanpur and Rupesh Maharjan of TAC made it to the U-17 boys’ singles final. Megha Chand of TAC and Seema Rajbanshi of Morang will meet in the U-17 girls’ singles final.

Chand defeated Ranjana Bhatta of APF 21-18, 21-16 and Rajbanshi ousted Sunaina Mukhiya of TAC 21-13, 21-18.

Dhami and Tamang also sailed into the men’s doubles semi-final. Dhami combined with Suroj Maharjan to beat Irfan Ansari of Banke and Ram Baniya of Kathmandu 21-10, 21-16, while Tamang and Nabin Shrestha rallied from a set down to beat APF duo of Joesph Adhikari and Suman Limbu 19-21, 21-10, 23-21.

Deepak Bohora and Katuwal of NPC beat APF pair of Bimal Shrestha and Bishal Pradhan 21-9, 21-15, while another APF duo Bijit Thapa Magar and Bikash Shrestha saw off clubmates Pankaj Chand and Indra Mahata 21-18, 15-21, 21-12 in other quarter-final matches. In the women’s doubles, Shikshya and Puja Shrestha of APF beat clubmates Sita Rai and Shobha 21-2, 21-16 to reach the last four.

Before their women’s singles final, Giri and Nangsal will combine for the doubles semis after beating Surja Rai and Gyan Limbu of APF 21-7, 21-12. Nangsal and her brother Ratnajit also beat APF pair of Kabita Karki and Bimal Shrestha 21-16, 21-17 in the mixed doubles quarter-finals. Bina Tulachan and Bishal Pradhan of APF, Giri and Saroj Maharjan also made it to the mixed doubles semis.

Bhandari, Pariyar to play for title

Kumar Adhikari and Jitendra Pariyar entered the men’s singles final of the eighth Sahabir Memorial Open Lawn Tennis Tournament on Wednesday. In the semi-final matches, Bhandari staged a fine comeback to beat Kumar Adhikari 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and Pariyar knocked out Samrakshyan Bhusan Bajracharya 6-4, 7-6. Chhewang Lama and Mahesh Shrestha reached the veterans singles (above-35 years) final. Lama edged Rohit Sunwar 6-1, 3-6, 10-5 and Shrestha beat Pratap Moktan 6-3, 6-4. Krishna Raj Ghale made it to the veterans singles (above-45 years) final defeating Rajoj Man Shrestha 6-2, 6-4.