NA Doubles Teams Both Advance to WPIAL Tournament

Posted on: by Randy Gore

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 10th 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 10th, 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