Astana (Kazakhstan): Indian shuttlers Anupama Upadhyaya and Tharun Mannepalli emerged champions in the women's and men's singles competition at the Kazakhstan International Challenge tournament in Uralsk on Saturday. The 19-year-old Anupama from Almora, who won the Polish International challenge last month, claimed her second successive title with a 21-15 21-16 win over compatriot Isharani Baruah in a 41-minute final.
The 22-year-old Tharun, who was runner-up at the senior national championships in Guwahati last December, beat eighth-seeded Malaysian Soong Joo Ven 21-10, 21-19 to register his maiden international title. In the mixed doubles final, the Indian pair of Sanjai Srivatsa Dhanraj and Maneesha K lost 21-9, 7-21, 12-21 to Malaysia's Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien to sign off with a runner-up finish.
Anupama, the former senior national champion, has been in good form this week as she defeated fellow Indian Harshitaa Rout, Czech Republic's fifth seed Tereza Svabikova, compatriot Devika Sihag and Japan's Sorano Yoshikawa en route to the final. Anupama, a former junior world No. 1, has won the India International Challenge in 2021, the Polish Open (2022 and 2024) and the Tajikistan International Series in 2023.
Tharun also recorded some fine wins on the way to the summit clash, defeating compatriot Gagan Balyan, 2022 World Junior Championships silver medallist S Sankar Muthusamy, fourth-seeded Dmitriy Panarin of Kazakhstan and seventh seed Le Duc Phat of Vietnam.
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