Payas Jain shines as paddlers sweep Serbia Junior and Cadet Open

India's paddlers swept the team titles in the girls and cadet boys category with Payas Jain winning the singles crown at the 2018 Serbia Junior and Cadet Open in Belgrade.

Delhi's Payas first helped bagged the cadet boys team event title in the company of Vishwa Deenadayalan and then went on to claim the cadet boys singles crown while the junior girls captured the team title.

India's A and B teams both made the podium with the former claiming gold, courtesy Payas and Vishwa while the latter settled for silver.

In the final, Team A beat Team B 3-1. Team B started well with Divyansh getting the better of Payas 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 12-10 in the opening tie. But Vishwa defeated Aadarsh 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 and later Payas won 12-10, 11-6, 11-7, including a doubles reverse 12-10, 11-8, 12-10 to end Team B's title hopes.

On the other hand, the duo of Divyanish and Aadarsh registered 3-0 win against Saudi Arabia's Khalid Alshareif and Salem Alsuwailen, but were tested to the core, in the semi-finals which they won 3-2 against China's Deng Hapieng and Tian Chufan.

Later, Anusha Kutumbale, Swastika Ghosh and Dia Chitale combined well to beat Singapore's Goi Rui Xuan, Pearlyn Koh Kai Xin and Wong Xin Ru 3-1 in the junior girls final.

India B, comprising Radhapriya Goel, Prapti Sen and Paymantee Baisya, lost to Singapore in the semi-finals.

After pairing up with Vishwa to claim cadet boys' team crown, the two had a very good chance of adding another gold in doubles which they missed as China's Liu Shuanghao and Xu Haotian won 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-9, by a whisker.