Boys' Tennis Game Summaries

The North Allegheny boys’ tennis team traveled to the South Hills and made quick work of playoff qualifier Bethel Park.

The Blackhawks were short a man and had to forfeit No. 3 singles to senior UT Tiwari. At first doubles, senior Amit Bhandari and freshman Shivum Telang staked the Tigers to a 2-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-0 blanking of their opponents. The brother-brother combination of senior Adithya Ramadas Guptha and sophomore Adhav Ramadas finished just behind at second doubles with a 6-0, 6-1 win to secure the team victory.

Senior Trey Davidson, who moved up to No. 2 singles for this match, came away with a 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of his opponent. Wrapping things up for the day and the regular season was freshman phenom Advaita Sircar, who once again shut out his opponent, 6-0, 6-0.

Due to their perfect 13-0 record, the Tigers have secured the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye that comes with it, in next week’s WPIAL Team Championships. The team is scheduled to host a quarterfinal match next Thursday.

Match Summary – 04/25/24

North Allegheny 5, Bethel Park 0

Singles
#1 Advaita Sircar (NA) def. Hersh Kambli (BP) 6-0, 6-0
#2 Trey Davidson (NA) def. Luka Maracic (BP) 6-0, 6-1
#3 UT Tiwari (NA) by forfeit

Doubles
#1 Amit Bhandari/Shivum Telang (NA) def. Trey Slavonic/Carter Windham (BP) 6-0, 6-0
#2 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. Carmin Yimin/Griffin O’Connell (BP) 6-0, 6-1

At Tuesday’s WPIAL doubles championship, both of NA’s regular doubles teams played some high-level tennis against some of the best players in the area. In the first round, the fourth-seeded team of junior Srivatsav Thirumala and freshman Shivum Telang fell behind early but battled back hard against the strong Peters Township team of Avi Sharma and Kritin Sharma. Ultimately, the NA duo fell, 10-5. Meanwhile, the brother-brother combination of senior Adithya Ramadas Guptha and sophomore Adhav Ramadas, seeded eighth, took on Shady Side Academy’s Sid Chaudhry and Robert Bartolacci. The brothers jumped to an early 5-2 lead and held on for a 10-5 victory.

In the quarterfinals, Ramadas Guptha and Ramadas had to go up against the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed and half of last year’s championship doubles team in Zidaan Hassan and Logan Memije. The brothers were not intimidated and came out swinging. Having staked themselves to a 5-2 lead, the tournament was put on upset watch. However, it was not meant to be as the Gateway pair rallied for a 10-6 win to eliminate NA’s No. 2 team.

Next up, the team closes out the regular season with a trip south to Bethel Park on Thursday. Match time is set at 3:30.

Tournament Summary

First Round
#13 Avi Sharma/Kritin Sharma (PT) def. #4 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) 10-5
#8 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) #9 Sid Chaudhry/Robert Bartolacci (SSA) 10-5

Quarterfinals
#1 Zidaan Hassan/Logan Memije (G) def. #8 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) 10-6

For the second time in as many weeks, NA Boys’ Tennis players made it an all-NA final, this time in the Section 2 Doubles tournament. The championship match, moved indoors due to the threat of inclement weather, featured NA’s two regular doubles teams. This coach’s dream scenario saw junior Srivatsav Thirumala and freshman Shivum Telang take on their teammates, brothers senior Adithya Ramadas Guptha and sophomore Adhav Ramadas.

The first set saw the teams feel each other out as they exchanged early breaks. Eventually, the fourth seeded Thirumala and Telang got a break they were able to consolidate to take the first set, 6-2. The tenth seeded brothers rebounded early in the second set to take the first game. However, after two long games, the four seed was back on top again by a break. A quick hold by Telang made it 3-1 and NA’s #1 team was able to roll to the second set by the identical score of 6-2.

By virtue of their strong play all tournament, both teams will advance to the WPIAL Championships to be held at North Allegheny next Tuesday and Wednesday. Great job and good luck to both teams!

Tournament Summary

Finals#4 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) #10 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) 6-2, 6-2

At Tuesday’s Section 2-AAA doubles tournament, both of NA’s regular doubles teams won three rounds to advance to Wednesday’s finals. Seeded fourth and 10^th overall, the teams defeated all challengers to set up an all-NA final. In the first round, the fourth-seeded team of seasoned junior Srivatsav Thirumala and upstart freshman Shivum Telang dominated the 13th-seeded team from North Hills, Othmane Eljoufri and Conor Greer, 10-1. Meanwhile, the big-hitting brother-brother combination of senior Adithya Ramadas Guptha and sophomore Adhav Ramadas, seeded 10^th, easily dispatched Moon’s seventh-seeded tandem of Aarav Surapanini and Nolan Jaszcar, 10-4.

In the quarterfinals, Thirumala and Telang made quick work of the fifth-seeded team from Mars, Callahan Johnson and Evan Palmer, 10-2. At the same time, the brothers were forced to face the No. 2 overall seed from North Hills. However, Ramadas Guptha and Ramadas didn’t blink, staking an early lead and closing out a 10-6 victory against Josh Kim and Lukas Clement.

It would normally seem to be an unlikely run for a No. 10 seed to reach the final. But this is no ordinary No. 10 seed. Ramadas Guptha and Ramadas went straight to work against the top players from Pine Richland. The brothers quickly jumped out to the lead against sixth-seeded Ian Hurt and Udi Akolkar and cruised to the championship round, 6-2, 6-1. On the other half of the bracket, Thirumala and Telang squared off against the tournament’s top seed overall, the Butler tandem of Andrew Bocce and Benjamion Busler. After a few close games, the pair took control and the match, 6-3, 6-2. Their excellent play today assured that both teams will advance to the WPIAL Championship next week.

However, the section tournament must first be decided. The two teams will return to action on Wednesday, this time squaring off against each other in another all-NA final. For a look at the Section 2-AAA bracket, click here.

The championship match is set for 11:00 AM at Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford.

Tournament Summary

First Round
#4 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) def. #13 (NH) 10-1
#10 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. #7 (Moon) 10-4

Quarterfinals
#4 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) def. #5 (Mars) 10-2
#10 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. #2 (NH) 10-6

Semifinals
#4 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) def. #1 (B) 6-3, 6-2
#10 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. #3 (PR) 6-2, 6-1

In a battle of the unbeatens, the boys’ tennis team downed South Hills rival Upper St. Clair, 4-1, to give the Panthers their first loss of the season. Freshman phenom Advaita Sircar was his usual dominant self, defeating his opponent at first singles, 6-0, 6-3 to get the Tigers on the board first. The brother-brother combination of senior Adithya Ramadas Guptha and sophomore Adhav Ramadas left no doubt in their match at second doubles, grabbing a 6-1, 6-2 victory. The decisive point of the match came off the racquet of Trey Davidson who prevailed over his third singles opponent, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

At first doubles, junior Sri Thirumala and freshman Shivum Telang survived a bit of a scare in the first set only to dominate the second and came away with a 7-5, 6-0 triumph. Sophomore Evan Kaufman battled valiantly, but dropped a close decision at second singles, 7-5, 2-6, 10-8.

Tomorrow the doubles teams will compete at the Section 2-AAA doubles tournament.

Match Summary – 04/15/24

North Allegheny 4, Upper St. Clair 1

Singles
#1 Advaita Sircar (NA) def. Ari Plutko (USC) 6-0, 6-3 
#2 Ronan Gibbons (USC) def. Evan Kaufman (NA) 7-5, 2-6, 10-8
#3 Trey Davidson (NA) def. Shawn Khurana (USC) 6-1, 7-6

Doubles
#1 Srivatsav Thirumala/Shivum Telang (NA) def. Francisco Cutuli/Jhoran Laffin (USC) 7-5, 6-0
#2 Adithya Ramadas Guptha/Adhav Ramadas (NA) def. Sid Weissert/Saajin Laffin (USC) 6-1, 6-2