EGBA’s Van Tonder claims U17 Open doubles title as Lai wins women’s singles

She claimed a straight set 21-10, 21-16 victory over Chidvi Panjala to win the women's singles title, before adding a gold and bronze in the doubles.

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Lebohang Pita 2 minutes read

Chloe Lai stands on the podium with her trophy. She's on the podium with runner-up Chidvi Panjala (right) and Emma Joshua and Melay Pretorius (left).

There was a moment when Chloe Lai gave Chidvi Panjala a glimmer of hope late in the opening set of the women’s singles final at the Badminton South Africa U17 Open in Cape Town on July 19.

Trailing 18-9 after breaking Lai’s serve, Panjala produced the rally of the set. She moved the top seed from side to side, drew her to the net, then lifted a high lob that Lai tracked with her back to her opponent. Lai managed to return the shuttle, but as she turned, Panjala attacked the same area.

The mixed doubles champions Chloe Lai and Aiden Dednam on the podium with runners-up Zeming Chen and Aeryn Van Reenen (right), as well as third-placed Kian Janse Van Vuuren and Emma Joshua and Yushi Jia and Amy Wu.

Caught off guard, Lai reacted instinctively in an attempt to keep the shuttle in play, only to end up sprawled flat on her stomach as Panjala claimed her 10th point.

It proved to be Panjala’s last point of the set.

Chloe Lai and partner Melay Pretorius and Tiana Jenner (left) on the podium with Tiana Jenner & Liane Pieterse (fourth), champions hidvi Panjala and Emma Joshua and runners-up Helena Buhrmann and Wilmari v Zijl.

Lai immediately regained control, winning the next three points to wrap up the opener 21-10 and move within one set of the national title.

The second set was more competitive, but Lai always looked in control. Despite Panjala’s determined effort, the top seed consistently found another gear and closed out the set 21-16 to seal the championship.

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Ranked second in South Africa behind Johanita Scholtz in the senior women’s singles rankings, Lai capped an outstanding tournament by adding a second gold medal. Teaming up with Aiden Dednam in the mixed doubles, they defeated Zeming Chen and Aeryn van Reenen 21-12, 21-17 in the final.

Lai also claimed a bronze medal in the women’s doubles alongside Melay Pretorius.

Jordan van Tonder (right) after finishing second in the men’s doubles. He’s with champion Aiden Dednam and Yushi Jia (third) and Kyle Abrahams.

Silver for Van Tonder

Jordaan van Tonder came agonisingly close to capping a memorable tournament for the Eastern Gauteng Badminton Association (EGBA) before narrowly losing to top seed Dednam in the men’s singles final.

After dropping the opening set 18-21, Van Tonder responded emphatically by dominating the second 21-11 to force a decider.

Champions Jordan van Tonder and Aiden Dednam on the podium with runners-up Yushi Jia and Zeming Chen. They are with losing semi-finalists Charltin Dednam and Joel Burrell and Wayde Morgan and Tyler Poggenpoel.

The third set, however, belonged to Dednam, who opened up an 11-6 advantage at the interval. Although Van Tonder fought back to reduce the deficit to just one point at 17-16, Dednam held his nerve to close out the match 21-18, 11-21, 21-17.

Van Tonder bounced back in the doubles, teaming up with Dednam to claim the men’s doubles title with a 21-12, 21-15 victory over EGBA’s Yushi Jia and his partner Chen Chen.

Jia and Chen also finished on the podium after winning their third-place play-off to secure the bronze medal.

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