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26-May, Final:
Joshna joy at home win in Chennai
Gautam Das reports
 Second
seed and world number 71, Joshna Chinappa of India claimed
her first ever dream title of a WSA event at home when she came from
behind in the third game to beat third seeded Sarah Jane Perry
3-1 in the final of the Chennai Open International Squash
championship here this afternoon.
For former Indian number one, Joshna, this was her sixth overall WSA
title and she is currently making inroads to regain her status in
the world circuit where she was 28th in July 2010. Despite having
underwent a knee surgery last year, Joshna proved that she is
getting in to her mould, especially displaying her prowess in this
tournament in all her earlier victories. Today, she won the title
with a 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 12-10 score line over Sarah-Jane.
Joshna started off in a sluggish manner and gave three points
through unforced errors and then played few delectable corners for
points to level the score 5-5 and 8-8, while third seed Sarah used
her height in coming up front to outstretched and score winners.
Sarah was equally good in breaking for points but had no answer,
though taking the first game 11-8, to Joshna’s measure of comfort in
being artistic with controlled pace in the first game.
 However,
in the second game, Joshna build up a 6-3 advantage and had the
felicity to move around the court with ease in keeping Sarah at the
base. With sheer grit supported by her game plan of not allowing the
rival to get in to rallies, Joshna went for quick finishes to wrap
up the game in just about ten minutes at 11-4.
It was a case of keep up to the momentum having won her three
matches earlier in straight games and also finding her rhythm
despite dropping the first game today, Joshna initially trailed
after 4-6 but came up with two superb winners to lead 7-6 and with a
‘stroke’ decision in her favour went on to 8-6. However, Sarah, who
has been using her back hand drives to good effect, could collect a
point and then made Joshna run from end to end to gain in narrowing
the lead. But, Joshna was so focused that she was able to win the
game at 11-8 to lead 2-1 in the match.
Playing Sarah for the first time in the circuit, Joshna lapsed in to
concentration in trailing 3-6 but showed her class in cashing in on
the first chance that she got to gain the initiative. Once, Joshna
leveled the score 7-all, she maintained her accuracy. She made it
8-7 and then made in roads to wrap up the game and the match. Since
Sarah was not yielding under pressure much, Joshna had to wait for
her chances and then won on extra points.
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 Chennai
Open 2012
22-26 May, Chennai, India, $10k |
Round One
23 May |
Quarters
24 May |
Semis
25 May |
Final
26 May |
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh (Mas)
11-4, 11-1, 12-10
[Q] Saai Meera (Ind) |
[1] Siti Munirah Jusoh
4–11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4 (63m)
Anaka Alankamony |
Anaka Alankamony
11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 12-14, 6-11 (69m)
[3] Sarah-Jane Perry |
[3] Sarah-Jane Perry
9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 12-10
[2] Joshna Chinappa |
[7] Zulhijah Binti Azan (Mas)
9-11, 11-0, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8
Anaka Alankamony (Ind) |
[3] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng)
11-4, 11-2, 11-6
Jessica Turnbull (Aus) |
[3] Sarah-Jane Perry
8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (38
[8] Victoria Bell |
[8] Victoria Bell (Eng)
11-8, 11-3, 11-6
[Q] Lakshva Raghavendra (Ind) |
[Q] Marian Metwally (Egy)
11-6, 6-11, 14-12, 10-12, 11-5
[5] Salma Hany Ibrahim (Egy) |
[5] Salma Hany Ibrahim
7-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8(37m)
[4] Pushppa Devi |
[5] Salma Hany Ibrahim
13-11, 11-4, 11-8 (30m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa |
Harshit Kaur Jawanda (Ind)
11-8, 12-10, 12-10
[4] Pushppa Devi (Mas) |
[Q] Ashita Bhengra (Ind)
11-5, 11-0, 11-2
[6] Carrie Ramsey (Eng) |
[6] Carrie Ramsey
11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (31m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa |
Nouran Ahmed Gohar (Egy)
11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7
[2] Joshna Chinappa (Ind) |
Qualifying Finals:
Mariam Metwally bt Sunayna Kuruvilla
11-1, 11-1, 11-3
Saai Meera bt Janvi Rathore
11-5, 11-3, 11-1
Lakshya Raghavendra bt Shamika Reddy
11-7, 11-2, 11-2
Ashita Bhengra bt AV Apoorva
11-3, 11-4, 11-6
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25-May, Semis:
Perry & Chinappa in Chennai final
Gautam Das reports
In the two semi finals of
the season-ending WSA $10k Chennai Open at the Chennai Squash
Academy, home expectations were very high, but the hopes of the home
crowd to see an all Indian final tomorrow vanished when the top
Indian Junior, unseeded Anaka Alankamony, went down fighting
in five games against highly ranked third seed Sarah Jane Perry
of England.
Anaka was striving hard to get to her grips against a higher level
star. The fact that Anaka kept Sarah in two minds on number of
rallies and then dominating in the first three games was indicative
of her prowess. In the fourth game after being match ball up, Anaka
committed an unforced error to surrender the initiative.
Anaka was down 9-10 and then matched Sarah for points and serving
12-12, Anaka’s shot went in. In the fifth, Anaka was down 0-6 but
made tremendous strides in winning six points in a row to level the
score. Here, Sarah brought her experience in to play to win the
match
Looking to win the Chennai Open title for the first time, especially
at her home ground, India’s Joshna Chinappa is just a step
away from it as she disposed of Salma Hany Ibrahim of Egypt
in straight games.
Joshna’s variety of shots and a near perfect game plan helped her
win the match, though the Egyptian displayed her wears of aggressive
methods in the first game but then it was Joshna all the way in the
next two. Joshna planned her way methodically and her efforts in
keeping the rival under constant pressure paid off. However, Joshna,
who had undergone a knee injury about seven months ago proved her
fitness in great measure and looked to be ready for the kill in the
world circuit where her ranking had dipped.
Joshna touched her rhythm in midway the first game and then kept up
the momentum to take the match without much ado.
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24-May, Quarters:
Anaka annexes top seed
in Chennai
Gautam Das reports
Unseeded Anaka Alankamony
defeated top seed Sit Munirah to reach the semi-finals against third
seed Sarah-Jane Perry of England, while second seed Joshna
Chinappa plays Salma Hany of Egypt.
India’s seasoned Chinappa exhibited tremendous skills in wearing
down Carrie Ramsey of England in straight games to join her
compatriot Alankamony in the semi finals of the Chennai Open Squash
Championship here today.
Joshna has made great strides improving her prowess and is finding
ways to improve her world ranking, and displayed quality and class
in beating Ramsey 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in her second WSA tournament
after a knee operation.
Earlier, in the first match of the evening, Alanamony, a talented
and promising junior, defeated top seeded Siti Munirah, who is
ranked 40 in the world. It was a seesaw battle with Anaka trailing
1-2. The fourth game was a grueling battle with Anaka dominating the
front of the court to take the match into the fifth game.
Ultimately, Anaka's decision to remain aggressive paid divined as
she wore down Munirah in the 63min battle.
In the other two matches, Perry came from behind to beat Victoria
Bell in an all-English quarter-final, while Egyptian Hany managed to
get the better of Malaysia's Pushppa Devi in a minor seeding upset.
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23-May, Round One:
Indians advance in Chennai Round One
Gautam Das reports
On a creditable day for seasoned Joshna Chinappa and Anaka
Alankamony, it was valuable experience for the Indian Squash
Academy trainee Ashita Bhengra of Tamil Nadu and Delhi’s
Harshit Kaur in the first round main draw of the Chennai Open
Squash Championship that commenced here today.
Alankamony, currently the top most Indian junior making waves on
international levels, despite failing to play to her potentials, put
paid to the aspirations of seventh seeded Zulhijah Binti Azan of
Malaysia to join the other seven seeds including Chinappa in the
quarterfinals to be played tomorrow.
Anaka’s match was most interesting and best amongst the eight
matches held today. As the match started it was evident that Anaka
was listless in the manner in which was moving around the court and
not getting anything right. However, she surprised everyone with her
game plan and scored at will to neutralize the game score one-all
without yielding any point.
In the third game, it was a matter of keeping up to the momentum and
the Indian displayed great skills in mixing her drives and volleys
and in fact, Anaka was that much swift to hold and then flick for
points. But, the fourth turned out to be Anaka in the slumber once
again like in the first game and the match drifted to the decider.
Here, Anaka led 4-1 and looked to be lost in concentration once
again. Anaka, who gave six points in a row to the Malaysian,
displayed great game skills to shift to the aggressive mode. Once
Anaka got aggressive, the Malaysian threw in the towel.
In the side court, Ashita, a school going kid, went down in straight
games to sixth seed Carrie Ramsey of England but learnt
useful lessons from the loss, while Harshit Kaur, the current
under-15 champion, went down fighting in a close tie against
Malaysia’s Pushpa Devi, who could win 11-8, 12-10, 12-10.
Harshit was in her elements and brought her potential in to play but
lost the first game 8-11. The Malaysian had to bringing something
extra in to her play apart from her experience as Harshit showed
signs of recovery and rose to game ball up in the second. Here, the
Indian lacked the required experience to finish for points after a
rally. And, in the final game too, Harshit carried on with her good
work and kept pushing her but the left handed Malaysian recovered
well to make most of the situation.
The longest match of the day was an all-Egyptian clash between fifth
seed Salma Hany and qualifier Mariam Metwally, with Hany
emerging the victor in a see-saw five game battle.
Three English players progressed, all in straight games, and
Sarah-Jane Perry and Victoria Bell will play each other
for a place in the semi-finals while Carrie Ramsey meets
second seed Chinappa.
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Qualifying complete in Chennai
Straight games victories was the order of the day at the $ 10,000
WSA Chennai Open Squash Championship held at Indian Squash Academy,
Chennai.
Mariam Ibrahim Metwally the only foreigner who participated in the
qualifying round had no problem defeating Chennai junior Sunayna
Kuruvilla.The other Chennai juniors progressing to main draws were
Saai Meera, Ashita Pranaya Bhengra & Lakshya Ragavendra.
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Chennai geared up for Chennai Open
 With
prominent players Joshana Chinappa and Anaka Alankamony getting
ready for battle, Chennai is all set for the Chennai Open, a WSA
tournament valued at US $10,000.
The Indian Squash Academy, will witness the excitement from 22
May 2012 with the finals on 26 May 2012. The participants
include players from Malaysia, Australia, Egypt, and England.
Srivatsan Subramaniam, General Secretary, TNSRA, says, “Like
every year this year we hope to have a fantastic event that will
be a breeding ground for our upcoming women players.
The top seed of the event is Siti Munirah Jusoh from Malaysia
ranked 40 in the world. Joshana Chinappa playing in only her
second WSA event since her injury last year has been seeded two
as she used her pegged ranking of 41. Her current rank in May is
71.
7 local players who will play the qualifying round will join the
following 13 WSA players.
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