Nikkita reaches semis, Palak bows out

NAGPUR: Nikkita Joseph entered the U-10 girls singles semifinals of the ASA-Maharashtra sub-junior badminton tournament, hosted by Active Sports Academy, at Khar Gymkhana in Mumbai on Sunday.
In the quarterfinal, Nikkita thumped Kavya Raghavendran 21-7, 21-8 to book her place in the last four. She also reached U-13 girls singles pre-quarters by ousting Mekhala Ambekar 11-15, 15-7, 15-10.
Another city shuttler Palak Patel went down fighting in the U-15 girls singles first round against Aastha Chakraborty. Mumbai girl defeated Palak, a student of Somalwar School, 13-15, 15-13, 13-15.