23-Jan, Finals: Khalifa & Chan celebrate in Chennai
Two talented stars Amr Khaled Khalifa of Egypt and Hong
Kong's Joey Chan wrapped up the PSA Indian Challenger #6 and
WISPA Indian Challenger #4 titles respectively in the Government of
India sponsored Indian Challenger Series here today at the Indian
Squash Courts Academy courts.
In
the closely fought out men's final between unseeded Khalifa and
fourth seeded Abdullah Al Mezayen of Kuwait.
Whenever, the Kuwaiti wriggled his way to front court play, Mezayen
was unstoppable and rarely missed to score from his winners. On the
other hand, Khalifa was more composed and minded in keeping the ball
in play and waited for his chances to score. It was a brilliant
final with both players showing immense respect for each other and
fighting until the end.
The winner was decided in the last two points in the fifth game.
With the score line levels at 11-all, Mezayen, squandered a match
ball making 2 crucial errors to give away the win to Khalifa at
11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 7-11, 13-11 in a 65 minutes duel for supremacy.
Mezayen,
exhibited his skills in winning the crunch points but lacked that
punch in yielding the last two points, which he repented seconds
after the match was over.
In the women's final, Second
seeded Chan exhibited total focus in her game through out the match
winning against third seeded Laura Siddall of England 11-2, 11-6,
11-6 in 25 min.
Siddall made a series of unforced errors from the beginning of the
match and never came up with her winning drops. Siddall yesterday
defeated top seed and India's top star, Joshna Chinappa
Srivats Subramaniam, Secretary General - SRFI, gave away the prizes
to the winners. Khalifa and Chan were richer by US$1662 & US$1600
respectively
22-Jan, Semi-Finals: Top seeds despatched in Chennai Top
seeded Joshna Chinappa of India yielded the initiative in the
deciding game to go down fighting to third seed Laura Siddall
of England 2-3 in the semi final of the USD 8,000 WISPA Indian
Challenger event sponsored by the Government of India as preparation
for the ensuring Commonwealth Games.
The Indian went in to the lead wrapping up the first game with her
killing instincts working favourably. Trailing 2-5, Chinappa moved
up bridging the lead to 5-6 but Siddall kept up her returns to
perfection to lead 9-6 and then went on to serve 10-7. Here,
Chinappa’s game plan and deceptive play not only helped her to save
three game points but win the game at 12-10. Almost of all winners
came through Chinappa’s decisions to wrong foot Siddal.
The second and third games were also turned out to be closely fought
ones with the rivals sharing the honours and Chinappa led 2-1.
In
the fourth, Siddall adhered to tactics of forcing Chinappa to be
pinned on the back court in her 11-8 win in nine minutes but from
4-all in the decider, Chinappa found more difficulties in her
movements perhaps due to her suffering from severe cold and cough
and mild temperature due to a viral fever sickness. Siddall won at
10-12, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5 in 55 minutes.
Sidall will be pitted against second seed Joey Chan of Hong
Kong in tomorrow's final. Chan halted the run of giant killer and
qualifier, Siyoli Waters of South Africa 11-6, 11-8, 5-11,
11-4, 11-9 in 34 minutes in the other semi final today.
In the men’s semi finals, unseeded Amr Khaled Khalifa of
Egypt put paid to the aspirations of top seed Stephen Coppinger
of South Africa in straight games of 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 in 44 minutes,
while fourth seed Abdullah al Mezayen of Kuwait came from
behind to scalp second seeded Robbie Temple of England 7-11,
12-10, 11-8, 11-6 in 46 minutes.
21-Jan, Quarter-Finals: Chinappa on song in Chennai
India’s top women player Joshna Chinappa displayed total
focus aiming for her fourth WISPA title as she made the semi-final
with a clinical four games win over Lauren Selby of England in the
Indian Challenger USD 8000 prize money championship sponsored by the
Government of India here today at the Indian Squash Academy.
In the men’s quarterfinal matches, fifth seed, Siddharth Suchde of
India, ranked 101, went down fighting to second seed Robbie
Temple of England (ranked 63) also in four games of 11-5, 11-8,
9-11, 11-7 in 54 minutes.
Suchde, who was almost pinned to the back had difficulties but the
manner in which the Indian came back from a 0-7 deficit to win the
third game at 11-9 speaks volume about his abilities of killer
instincts for turning half chances to winners. In the fourth game,
Suchde allowed Temple, a southpaw, to get back to rhythm from 4-6 to
score three points in a row all with his double handed back hand
winners after rallies. However, Suchde was able to take three points
(7-10) facing match ball but Temple after a long rally won the point
and the match.
Playing in the all-glass centre court, Chinappa, the lone Indian on
view, was never looked wanting, perhaps excepting in the third game
against Selby before winning at 11-7, 11-6, 8-11, 11-1 in 33
minutes. Looking to be much fitter, the Chennai Indian Squash
Academy trainee, who is pursuing her Graduation in Psychology with
the Madras University, brought about her manipulations from the
front court to score points and at the same time made Selby err most
often. She plays Lauren Siddal (3rd seed) in the quarterfinal
tomorrow.
The WISPA draw shows a possibility of second seed Joey Chan
of Hong Kong and Chinappa to vie for the finals, as the former
looked all set to progress in the championship with a well planned
11-1, 11-8, 11-9 win over Colin Aumard of France today. Chan will be
taking on qualifier Siyoli Waters of South Africa in the semi
final. Waters kept up her momentum of winning effort as she quelled
the challenge of a fighting Laura Pomportes of France 11-6, 11-9,
16-14.
The men’s semi finals will be between Robbie Temple and fourth
seeded Abdullah Al Mezayen of Kuwait and Stephen Coppinger
(Top seed-South Africa) against unseeded Amr Khaled Khalifa
of Egypt.
20-Jan, Round One: Suchde succeeds but Dipika falls
India’s Siddharth Suchde scored a memorable win on his
birthday today on his way to the second round along with the other
top seeded players in the USD 10,000 PSA Indian Challenger Series
squash tournament at the Indian Squash Academy courts this evening.
In the USD 8,000 WISPA Challenger Siyoli Waters of South
Africa being tutored by her compatriot Stephen Coppinger, top seed
in PSA event here, was in her elements in winning the crunch points
to scalp Fourth seed Pallikal in a close match. Losing the first two
games, Waters was much more steady than her Indian rival through out
the game before winning it at 10-12, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 in 40
minutes.
It was an easy going for top seed, Joshna Chinappa, a
favourite to win the WISPA title, her fourth in career, against
Surbhi Misra, a lucky loser, while all her three counterparts --
Anwesha Reddy, Aprajitha Balamurugan, Anaka Alankamony—fell to
superior opponents.
Five other Indians, including Ravi Dixit (ranked 231 in PSA), a
direct entrant bite the dust, fifth seeded Suchde scored a straight
games win over Leo Au of Hong Kong, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 in 51 minutes.
A lone Indian in fray in the prestigious event sponsored by the
Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, Suchde
(ranked 101) now plays second seed Robbie Temple of England
in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Among the winners on view today, Temple (ranked 63) was business
like in his 20 minutes stay at the court to dispose off qualifier
Abhishek Pradhan (ranked 361) of India 11-6, 11-3, 11-5, while the
top seeded Proteas Stephen Coppinger had to exert every sinew
in his 52 minute duel to get the better of qualifier Gaurav
Nandrajog of India 11-2, 6-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5. Coppinger crosses
with seventh seeded Dane Kristian Frost Olesen in the last
eight match.
Qualifying Reports
In an all Indian qualifying round A. Parthiban got the better of
Karan Malik to make the main draw of the US$10,000 PSA Indian
Challenger #6 here at the Indian Squash Academy, Chennai.
Parthiban retrieved all that was thrown at him and tired out lanky
Karan. Only in the second game Karan was able to keep his depth and
get his opponent behind him. The other matches were one sided with
Naresh, Abhishek and Gaurav going through.
In the WISPA Indian Challenger #4 Siyoli Waters beat Ankita Sharma
in 4 games and will meet Indian Dipika Pallikal in the main draw.
Surbhi Misra squandered her lead in the 2nd game after winning the
first game comfortably to go down tamely to Faustine Gilles for
France.
However, Surbhi qualified for the main draw as she became a 'lucky
loser' as Jenna Gates (Eng) who was to play Joshana Chinappa pulled
out due to an injury.
In an all Indian qualifying round A. Parthiban got the better of
Karan Malik to make the main draw of the US$10,000 PSA Indian
Challenger #6 here at the Indian Squash Academy, Chennai.
Parthiban retrieved all that was thrown at him and tired out lanky
Karan. Only in the second game Karan was able to keep his depth and
get his opponent behind him. The other matches were one sided with
Naresh, Abhishek and Gaurav going through.
In the WISPA Indian Challenger #4 Siyoli Waters beat Ankita Sharma
in 4 games and will meet Indian Dipika Pallikal in the main draw.
Surbhi Misra squandered her lead in the 2nd game after winning the
first game comfortably to go down tamely to Faustine Gilles for
France.
However, Surbhi qualified for the main draw as she became a 'lucky
loser' as Jenna Gates (Eng) who was to play Joshana Chinappa pulled
out due to an injury.
Top
seeded Joshna Chinappa of India yielded the initiative in the
deciding game to go down fighting to third seed Laura Siddall
of England 2-3 in the semi final of the USD 8,000 WISPA Indian
Challenger event sponsored by the Government of India as preparation
for the ensuring Commonwealth Games.
In
the fourth, Siddall adhered to tactics of forcing Chinappa to be
pinned on the back court in her 11-8 win in nine minutes but from
4-all in the decider, Chinappa found more difficulties in her
movements perhaps due to her suffering from severe cold and cough
and mild temperature due to a viral fever sickness. Siddall won at
10-12, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5 in 55 minutes.