Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bandodkar Panjim Gymkhana Tennis Open 2026 witnessed an inspiring display of determination and competitive spirit as players with disabilities took centre stage in the special wheelchair open category during Saturday’s matches in Panaji.
Participants in the wheelchair category demonstrated impressive skill and resilience on the court, making it one of the most unique and engaging highlights of the state ranking tournament. Mahesh and Moises delivered a dominant performance with a 4-0 victory over Stanley and Gauresh. Melvin and Nikilesh also enjoyed a successful outing, defeating the same pair 4-1 before registering another strong 4-2 win against Vinod and Gauresh. In another closely contested match, Vinod and Gauresh bounced back to record a 4-2 victory over Mahesh and Moises.
A total of seven players with disabilities have registered to compete in the wheelchair open category this year, adding a meaningful dimension to the tournament and reflecting the growing emphasis on inclusive sporting opportunities.
Action continued across several other categories as the competition progressed toward the final stages. In the mixed open doubles category, two pairs secured their spots in the finals with convincing semi final performances. Siddharth Nunes and Aishwarya Nunes comfortably defeated Prithvi Naik and Atika Gaur 6-2, 6-0, while Sreenath and Tanya overcame Prince and Urvi with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
The men’s open doubles category also witnessed intense quarter final encounters. Prince and Nishad cruised to a 6-1 win over Rajaram and Kyan, while Anurag Agrawal and Santosh edged past Siddharth Nunes and Arup Angle in a closely fought 7-6 match. Mano Chhabra and Neale Fernandes advanced with a 6-4 victory over Noel Noronha and Raju Kundaikar. In the semi final, Shaurya Awasthi and Rushil Anikar secured their place in the final after defeating Anurag Agrawal and Santosh 6-1, 2-6, 10-0.
In the ladies open doubles quarter finals, Poojal Somu Naik and Raisa Menezes recorded a commanding 6-0 win over Vladyslava and Nataliia Lazurenko. Avni Lotlikar and Saanj Kunde defeated Tatiana Malkarnekar and Kanika Singh 6-2, while Bhaavya Bhoomkar and Tithee Bhoomkar registered a 6-1 victory over Janavi Sawadia and Ruhika Panda. Poojal Somu Naik and Raisa Menezes continued their strong run in the semi final with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 win over Devyani Desai and Archana Desai.
In the ladies open singles category, Tithee Bhoomkar and Tvisha Sardesai delivered dominant performances, both recording identical 6-0 wins over Archana Desai and Ishani Tagare respectively.
The tournament, which honours the legacy of Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar, continues over the coming days with 247 players competing across multiple categories.
