Shuttler Pratul Joshi wins maiden Bahrain International Challenge

Young Indian shuttler Pratul Joshi clinched his maiden international title by notching up a hard-fought win over Aditya Joshi in the $17,500 Bahrain International Challenge badminton final at Segayya in Bahrain.

In a fiercely fought battle between the siblings, it was 22-year-old Pratul who prevailed 21-17, 12-21, 21-15 in the summit clash which lasted an hour on Sunday.

In the semi-finals, Pratul, seeded third, had beaten compatriot Siddharth Thakur 21-16, 22-20, while fourth seed Aditya stunned top seed Anand Pawar 21-19, 21-7.

Among other Indians, top seeds Vighnesh Devlekar and Rohan Kapoor lost 18-21, 17-21 to second-seeded Russian pair of Evgenij Dremin and Denis Grachev in the men's doubles, while Farha Mather and Ashna Roy suffered a 12-21, 18-21 defeat at the hands of Bahrain's Tanisha Crasto and Aprilsasi Lejarsar Variella of Indonesia in the women's doubles finals. 

Image: Rising Indian badminton player Pratul Joshi

Photograph: Pratul Joshi/Facebook