12-Sep, Finals:
Harinder and Anaka take
Indian Challenger

Harinder Pal Singh and Anaka Alankamony won the PSA Indian Challenger # 3 and WISPA Indian Challenger #1 titles respectively in the Indian Challenger series championships here at the Indian Squash Academy.

The men's final of PSA Indian Challenger # 3 was very a tense affair as three of the five games were won on extra points. It was a case of the best  getting the better and Harinder was the deserving winner as he not only came from behind 0-2 lead but won the next three with sheer hard work and some exceptional retrieving. Harinder defeated Siddharth 11-13, 10-12, 11-8, 14-12, 11-5 in a marathon 111 minutes and gained 105 PSA points.

Anaka Alankamony defeated Surbhi Misra to become the youngest winner ever on the WISPA tour playing in her first tournament as a WISPA member. Anaka displayed exceptional skill, speed and control over her senior Surbhi Misra in her 11-8, 11-8, 12-10 victory in 29 minutes and got 210 WISPA points.

Anaka, a home grown girl and a trainee of the Indian Squash Academy was delighted after her victory and said "I wish to thank the federation, my coaches, my family and sponsors for all their support". Anaka becomes only the second Indian to win a WISPA title after Joshna Chinappa

Mr. Srivatsan Subramanian, Secretary General - SRFI, gave away the trophies and prize money to the winners. He said 'An excellent achievement for Indian squash, I wish to congratulate all the Indians for a great showing. He also added, This tournament would not have been possible without the support from the Union Ministry for whom we are very grateful.'
 

11-8, 11-3, 2-1 rtd (20m)

[4] Siddarth Suchde

11-13, 10-12, 11-8, 14-12, 11-5 (111m)

[8] Harinderpal Sandhu

8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10 (45

[8] Harinderpal Sandhu

Qualifying:

08-Sep, Finals:
Sandeep Jangra (Ind) bt Balamurugan (Ind) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (25m)
Vikas Jangra (Ind) bt Roger Ngan (Hkg) 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9 (45m)
Naveen Jangra (Ind) bt A.Parthiban (Ind) 7-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11 (51m)
Maekawa Kouske (Jpn) bt Karan Malik (Ind) 11-13, 12-10, 11-6, 14-12 (40m)

07-Sep, First Round:
Balamurugan (Ind) bt Paul Mathieson (Ita) 4-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-9 (37m)
Sandeep Jangra (Ind) bt Mahesh Mangoankar (Ind) 11-7, 12-10, 11-7 (33m)
Roger Ngan (Hkg) bt Vrishab Koitan (Ind) 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 (19m)
Vikas Jangra (Ind) bt Ramit Tandon (Ind) 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
Karan Malik (Ind) bt Paramit Singh (Ind) 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (43m)
Maekwawa Kousuke (Jpn) bt Akshay Deepak (Ind) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (28m)
Naveen Jangra (Ind) bt Abhishek Pradhan (Ind) 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8(40m)
A.Parthiban (Ind) bt Hon Fung Wong (Hkg) 11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9 (41m).

11-6, 9-11, 11-6,
6-11, 11-3 (34m)

[4] Surbhi Misra

11-8, 11-8,
12-10 (29m)

[6] Anaka Alankamony

11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (23m)

[6] Anaka Alankamony

10-Sep, Quarters:
Indian girls in Chennai clean sweep

Debutants in professional circuit, Chennai based Indian stars, Aparajitha Balamurukan, Anaka Alankamony and Anwesha Reddy hogged the limelight getting past higher ranked overseas players to make the semi finals of the WISPA Indian Challenger-One at the Indian Squash Academy courts here this evening.

It will be an all Indian affair in the women semi finals to be played tomorrow in which Surbhi Misra, the most senior Indian on view in the championship (it was her 19th birthday in August) plays Aparajitha, while Anwesha clashes with Anaka.

Misra defeated compatriot Harita Om Prakash 11-7, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10 in 33 minutes in the quarterfinal match.

The winner of this WISPA event amongst the quartet to be on view tomorrow in the semi finals would become the second Indian ever to clinch a WISPA title after India’s top-most star, Joshna Chinappa, who has won three titles so far since claiming her maiden title in November 2008. It took Chinappa over five years to win a WISPA tour title but a WISPA event held in home soil will help an Indian achieve this feat in shortest time.

Aparajitha got past top seeded Irina Assal of Russia at 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, while Anaka scored a straight games win over second seeded Pusha Devi of Malaysia 11-9, 11-6, 14-12. Anwesha was at her best in getting the better of Carmen Lee (third seed) of Hongkong at 11-5, 12-14, 11-9, 11-3 in 47 minutes.

All these three local stars were making their debut in the WISPA event and acquitted themselves well at the appropriate time bringing laurels to the Academy and themselves by gaining valuable points. The championship was hosted by the Squash Rackets Federation of India at home in order to provide good exposure to these up and coming stars home grown players. These players made good use of the opportunity to accrue valuable points in WISPA profession circuit without having to travel away from home.

While it will be difficult to pick the best out of these three girls, each of them played to their potential and Anwesha, a wristy player, stunned everyone with flowing forehand returns, drop shots close to the wall and volleyed to perfection, which brooked no response from her rival Carmen Lee (third seed) of Hong Kong in the match that went to the decider.

Anaka should be credited for her overwhelming performance in downing Pushpa Devi (Malaysia) second seed and a senior player in the WISPA. Anaka, despite suffering from mild fever and severe cold, scored a deserving straight games win.

Anaka’s forte was her flowing forehand drives and mixing the pace to her advantage. She was seen growing in confidence after gaining point after point. In the first two games, Anaka led from the beginning before winning them but in the third, Pushpa Devi could resist mainly because the Indian was looking to be tired.

In the third, Anaka led 4-3 and they were on level terms at 9-9. Here Anaka volleyed for a winner but failed to with the next point. Anaka excelled in keeping the ball at play and forced Pusha Devi to err in winning the remaining points for the match.

On the other hand, Aparajitha’s consistency and positive approach helped her to get past Assal. The Indian showed great athleticism in going for difficult returns and on court movement was strikingly proved effecting. She gave no room for the Russian in the first game but lapsed in to concentration in the next where being 8-8 messed up her chances before losing it on extra points. The fourth became a vital game and Aparjitha, who trailed by a slender one point at 4-5 neutralised the score at 8-all and then never looked back before winning the match.

Not forgetting the men ...

In all counts, it was a good outing for the Indian men, as much as their women counterparts, as England based Siddharth Suchde, who won Regions Racquet Club Pro Series, his maiden PSA tour title after turning a professional in 2007 and Harinder Pal Singh made the semi finals grade. Suchde take on Dylan Bennett of the Netherlands and Harinder plays Hong Kong’s Anson Kwong, seventh seed.

Mumbai born six feet tall, Suchde (4th seed), had variety in his game and had little difficulty in winning over sixth seeded Aqueel Rahman of Austria at 11-2, 11-5, 11-9, while Harinder came back from first game loss to quell the challenge of second seeded Mazan Gamal of Egypt 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5. Harinder’s strategy to make the Egyptian run from end to end and then go for the kill was noteworthy and he showed finesse in slowing down the game whenever necessary to wrest the initiative.
 

Surbhi Misra

09-Sep, Eound One:
Jangra brothers fall in round one

On a day when all three Jangra brothers – Sandeep, Vikas and Naveen – bite the dust, India’s unseeded Naresh Kumar put up a brave fight before going down to top seeded Dylan Bennett of the Netherlands in the main draw of the PSA Indian Challenger # 3 at the Indian Squash Academy here this evening.

Hong Kong’s Leo Au displayed variety in his game to eliminate third seeded James Snell of England at 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in a marathon 70 minutes of dual.

However, two Indians – Siddarth Suchde (4th seed), who accounted for Vikas Jangra (Ind) 11-0, 11-5, 11-8 (21 min) and unseeded Harinder Pal Singh who quelled the challenge of Gaurav Nandrajob (Ind) 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 (54 min) in a close match have progressed to the first round.

Suchde will play sixth seed Aqueel Rahman of Austria, who disposed off Sandeep Jangra 11-9, 11-6, 13-15, 11-9 and Harinder take on second seeded Mazan Gamal of Egypt. Gamal literally gave few lessons to Maekswa Kosuke (Jpn) before overwhelming the latter to a 11-0, 11-5, 11-0 win in just 20 minutes.

The Naresh Kumar-Bennett match turned out to be most interesting one as the Indian missed to achieve a career best win after playing his hearts out. Bennett got the better of Naresh Kumar (Ind) 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7.

In the WISPA Indian Challenger # 1, held concurrently alongside the PSA event, India’s unseeded direct entrant, Harita Om Prakash dashed the hopes of her compatriot and eighth seeded Ankita Sharma. Haritha upset Ankita without much ado at 14-12, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4 in 35 minutes.

In the other two ties, fifth seed Anwesha Reddy scored over Shria Khatri, also of India 11-4, 11-9, 11-3 (19 min) and will take on Carmen Lee (Hkg—3rd seed) in the first round, while Aparjitha Balamurukan (Ind-7th seed) claimed a walk over from injured Saumya Karki (Ind). Aparjitha plays Russia’s Irina Assal , top seed tomorrow.

Harita has a tough task ahead against Surbhi Misra (fourth seed), while Anaka Alankamony (Ind) will vie against second seeded Pushpa Devi of Malaysia. Both these players had a bye in to first round.
 

08-Sep, Qualifying Finals:
Jangra brothers dominate
qualifying finals ...

All three Jangra brothers made it through to the main draw after victories in the qualifying finals at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. Naveen is attached to the ISA for over an year now, while Sandeep and Vikas under-go coaching at the ISA on a regular basis.

The fourth slot of qualifying went to third seeded Maekawa Kouske (Jpn), who accounted for Karan Malik of India at 11-13, 12-10, 11-6, 14-12 in 40 minutes of dual. Though Karan messed up his chances after winning the first game, he failed to wrap up the second and fourth games mainly due to unforced errors. Karan showed urgency in going for the finish from short rallies and most often, he was inconsistent.

In all the games, Karan led by three or four points but allowed Maekawa to get back in to the game. At times, Karan came up with unbelievable returns from his flowing forehands but at vital hours, the Indian played into his rivals hands, mostly on his back hands.

Karan’s impatience was cashed in well by Maekawa, especially in the fourth game where the Indian managed to level the score with two superb winners at 11-11 and then saved a match point only to fritter it away by hitting the tin twice.

Brothers in charge

Earlier, Sandeep was at his usual best in disposing off Balamurugan at 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (25m). Sandeep kept up the pressure on Balamurugan, who is a coach of the Indian Squash Academy, after allowing the latter to be on equal terms mid-way through the games. The manner in which Sandeep wore down Balamurugan was noteworthy.

In the match between Naveen Jangra and A.Parthiban, another coach of the ISA, the latter’s decision to experiment few returns but ending up hitting the bottom of the front wall put paid to his aspirations.

In the fourth game, Parthiban was trailing 3-9 but managed to claim four points in a row but squandered the initiative as Naveen got back his rhythm to return the compliment before winning the game for a 2-1 lead.

Unlike Naveen, Vikas was held the upper-hand in all the game excepting the second where just one error cost him the game. Roger was down 7-9 but two errors by Vikas helped him level the score. Then on, the rivals earned points one after another and Vikas’s failure to convert an easy return proved otherwise with Roger winning the game.

In the third game, Vikas took a massive 10-4 lead before clinching a vital 2-1 lead and then continued to grow in confidence before winning the fourth and the match.
 

Three more to come

Egged on by these encouraging results and the financial support by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport, the SRFI has also decided to host three more Challenger events before end of this year.

The events proposed to be held are PSA Indian Challenger #4(US$ 10,000) & WISPA Indian Challenger #2(US$ 8,000) from October 5 to 10, 2009 ...

PSA Indian Challenger #5(US$ 6,000) & WISPA Indian Challenger #3(US$ 4,000) from November 16 to 21, 2009 ... 

PSA Indian Challenger #6(US$ 10,000) & WISPA Indian Challenger# 4(US$ 8,000) December 7 to 12, 2009.

All these events are sponsored by the Government of India under the scheme --- for preparation of Indian teams for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Expressing gratitude and appreciation of the Central Government’s constant patronage for the game of Squash, Srivatsan Subramaniam, Secretary General of SRFI said

“This support ensures that our players are able to compete in international tournaments at home and are able to get the much desired exposure. We are thankful to the ministry for their support.”