Columbus North’s Amrit Kar, left, and Anvay Atram pose for a photo after receiving their runner-up medal in the boys tennis doubles state final Saturday at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis.
James Pence | The Republic
INDIANAPOLIS — Oh, so close.
Anvay Atram and Amrit Kar were one win away from making Columbus North history, but the duo came up just a bit short, as they fell 6-4, 6-4 in the boys tennis doubles championship against North Central’s Akshay Guttikonda and Owen Larrimer Saturday afternoon at Park Tudor High School.
Atram and Kar were undefeated heading into Saturday’s championship match. It was the first time a Bull Dogs doubles team was state finalist since Adam Davis and Chase Harris in 2010.
Even though they came up one win shy of the title, it was a great season for the duo.
“We had a pretty solid season,” Kar said. “Obviously, it wasn’t the ending we wanted, but we did a good job throughout the season. We played our game. We stepped up when the team needed it. In this match, we couldn’t get it done. It’s a little painful, but we’ll get through it. It feels good to be part of a historical group, but still a little bummed we didn’t get the job done.”
Columbus North’s Amrit Kar shows some emotion following the match in the boys tennis doubles state final against North Central’s Akshay Guttikonda and Owen Larrimer Saturday at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis.
James Pence | The Republic
Kar and Atram had the lead in the first set 4-3, but Guttikonda and Larrimer won the next three games to take the set. In the second set, Guttikonda and Larrimer broke serve again early, but Atram and Kar couldn’t get the break needed to keep the second set alive.
“I know they’re disappointed right now, but there were some opportunities,” Columbus North coach Kendal Hammel said. “There were three or four games at least that got away, and we didn’t close the door in those situations. That might have been the difference in getting a break, and we couldn’t break them.”
Columbus North’s Amrit Kar returns a shot in the boys tennis doubles state final against North Central’s Akshay Guttikonda and Owen Larrimer Saturday at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis.
James Pence | The Republic
Kar and Atram finished the season 29-1 as a pair.
“It was very hyped,” Atram said of the match. “The atmosphere and the crowd cheering, there was a lot of pressure.”
Columbus North’s Anvay Atram returns a serve in the boys tennis doubles state final against North Central’s Akshay Guttikonda and Owen Larrimer Saturday at Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis.
James Pence | The Republic
Hammel said Atram and Kar have nothing to be disappointed with this season.
“They had a fantastic season. They’ve gone through easy matches, they’ve gone through hard matches, they’ve gone through all the pressure being in that spot,” Hammel said. “Looking back team-wise with Hank (Lin) at 1 (singles) and those guys at 1 doubles, those guys gave us a lot of 2-0 leads going into our team matches. Beyond that, these guys worked hard. They played well.”
