City-based Rakshay Thakkar qualified for the singles finals of the Mens All-India Ranking Tennis tournament being held in Panchgani over the past week. The 17-year- old will be playing his first final in the mens category and will take on Shahbaaz Khan of Mumbai. In the first round he defeated Allan Gomes of Gujarat in straight sets 6-4,6-1. The second round saw him winning a tough match against his Panchgani opponent Javed Sunesra 6-4,5-7,6-4. In the quarters,he breezed past compatriot Sameer Paranjape 6-1,6-1. The semis saw him defeating Prasonjit Paul,also from Pune,by the same margin. Results: Quarter -finals: Sameer Paranjpe (Pune)- 6-1,6-1 Semi- finals: Prasonjit Paul (Pune)- 6-1,6-1.
