19-Oct
JSW Challenger 3:
Indian Double in Mumbai

[1] Dipika Pallikal 3-0 [6] Nouran El Torky
                            14/12, 12/10, 11/7 (46m)
[1] Harinderpal Sandhu 3-0 [4] Shehab Essam Hosny
                           11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (50m)

Men's Final:

The men’s final of the third JSW Circuit tournament at the National Sports Club of India saw some fiery play from both players. Harinder Pal Sandhu took the match, but that didn’t mean Shehab Essam Hosny made it easy.

Sandhu struggled to find his legs in the first game, moving slowly in the beginning and sending out unforced error after unforced error to give Hosny a quick lead 7-1. It looked to be Hosny’s game, but something then clicked for Sandhu, who went patiently cut down the deficit with some long, lovely rallies to win 11-9.

The second game saw Hosny again out in front initially, but too eager for the winning shot. Several attempted drops into the tin passed a 2-0 lead off to Sandhu, who shot ahead 6-2. The two went point for point, with Sandhu sending Hosny all over the court.

To Hosny’s credit, he returned nearly everything Sandhu sent at him, with some remarkable retrievals that had the biased crowd truly applauding. Sandhu dominated the third game, though Hosny did make Sandhu scramble on occasion, most notably with a beautiful drop at 5-9 and several lightning-quick retrievals throughout. But Sandhu, on fire and putting the ball all over the court, had had enough and took the game and match 11-7.

Sandhu: “It went better than expected. It’s only been a week since I lost to him the 3-1 in quarterfinals at Juhu (JSW Circuit 2). I knew from the first point today that he’d come out fighting. I had to stick to the side walls or keep him behind me. It wasn’t working till I was 7-1 down in the first game. But from then, I just kept the pressure on.”

Women's Final

It was a surprisingly inauspicious beginning, with Dipika Pallikal sending the ball into the tin to give Nouran El Torky the first point of the match. But Pallikal always planned to win. El Torky gave her a good match, going point for point with her in the first game to send it into extra points. At 12-12, a long and interesting rally that kept both out of the middle went to Pallikal, and one lovely corner drop more sent the game her way 14-12.

El Torky battled back in the second game, taking a small 2-0 lead with a brilliant kill, then stretching it to 5-2. But Pallikal patiently closed the gap, leveling it at 6-6. Again, El Torky returned everything Pallikal sent at her during the rallies, taking it to extra points again before a beautiful corner drop settled it 12-10 Pallikal’s way. El Torky again came out swinging in the third game, a brilliant straight kill putting her up 2-1, then creeping ahead 6-3.

But the more experienced Pallikal calmly made up points, sending the ball where El Torky least expected it. El Torky hustled and netted one more point, until Pallikal turned it on and broke away to take the game and match 11-7.

Pallikal: “It was a good match. Me and Nouran go back to our junior days at every British Juniors. They were tough matches. It’s nice to come up with a win for the home crowd. My main aim was to support this tournament.

"I’m just glad to be a part. I hope we get more tournaments like this in India, because it’s really phenomenal to play in front of a home crowd. It’s hopefully the start of great things to come in Indian squash.”
 

Draws & Results

Indian Challenger Circuit Launch

11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (50m)

[4] Shehab Essam Hosny

Qualifying Finals :

Benjamin Coates (Eng) 3-1 Ranvijay Singh (Ind)        11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 11-5 (45m)
Sandeep Jangra (Ind) 3-0 Velavan Senthilkumar (Ind)         11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (34m)
Alex Noakes (Eng) 3-0 Rishad Pandole (Ind)                        11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (41m)
Ahsan Ayaz (Pak) 3-1 Vijay Meena (Ind)                   8-11, 11-6, 19-17, 11-5 (80m)

Qualifying Round One :

Rishad Pandole (IND) 3-0  Abhinav Sinha (IND)                 11-7, 12-10, 11-6 (30m)
Ranvijay Singh (IND) 3-2 Vikas Jangra (IND)      4-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (46m)
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 3-0 Aishwarya Singh (IND)    11-7, 11-6, 12-10 (36m)
Alex Noakes (ENG) 3-0 Sandeep Paswan (IND)                    11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (31m)
Vijay Meena (IND) 3-0 Ashish Keskar (IND)                         11-5, 11-7, 11-4 (25m)
Ben Coates (ENG) 3-0 Arjun Agnihotri (IND)                11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8 (36m)
Sandeep Jangra (IND) 3-0 Puneet Pareek (IND)                12-10, 11-6, 11-3 (23m)
Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) 3-0 Yohan Pandole (IND)                        11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (26m)

#1 Jaipur | #2 Mumbai | #3 Mumbai | #4 Chennai

11-3, 11-6, 11-3 (36m)

[4] Cheyna Tucker

  14/12, 12/10, 11/7 (46m)

[6] Nouran El Torky

11-8, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9 (60m)

[2] Laura Pomportes

#1 Jaipur | #2 Mumbai | #3 Mumbai | #4 Chennai

18-Oct
JSW Challenger 3 - Semis
Reports by Liesl Goecker, Circuit Director

Shehab Essam Hosny (EGY) 3-1 Ammar Altamimi (KUW)
                             11-6, 7-11, 11-3, 11-3 (50m)

Shehab Essam Hosny  became the first man in the tournament final with his win today against Ammar Altamimi. Hosny started strong with a quick lead and win 11-6. But Altamimi came back fighting in the second game to level it. In the third game, the already fast pace picked up. A beautiful drop by Altamimi early in the third game gave him the edge, but he couldn’t hold it as Hosny powered back.

At this point, Altamimi seemed to lose steam, and Hosny pressed the advantage. Altamimi still gave Hosny some trouble in his short game, but Hosny broke away in the fourth game with a 9-1 lead. Altamimi managed to scrape up a couple more points, but it wasn’t enough, and the game and match went to Hosny, 11-3.

Hosny will play Harinder Pal Sandhu in tomorrow’s final.

Hosny:
“I’m so happy. This is my first final in a year. It was a good match. Ammar is a good player. I controlled my game and managed everything in the court. I think it was my day. I hope to play as well tomorrow.”

WSA

Nouran El Torky (EGY) 3-1 Laura Pomportes (FRA)
                     11-8, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9 (60m)

Reigning circuit champion Nouran El Torky (EGY) headed into the final after her win against Laura Pomportes (FRA). The two last played each other a week ago in the JSW Circuit 2 semifinals, where El Torky came out 3-0. This time, however, Pomportes was ready. El Torky got a good start, taking the first game 11-8. Pomportes, who has best matched El Torky’s physical style so far this tournament, made the next game more difficult, and the two were neck-and-neck into extra points, until El Torky made two nice shots in quick succession to take it 13-11.

Pomportes battled back in the third game, showing grit with a quick initial lead, 7-2, and keeping out front by soliciting unforced errors from El Torky and sending out some lovely shots herself, to take it 11-8.

But El Torky came back in the fourth, determined to see her third consecutive final. The two went point for point, but Pomportes couldn’t quite finish it off, and the game and match went to El Torky 11-9.

El Torky:
“At the end of the second game, I started to feel a bit tired. I think she was playing the right way against me. I think this match was better (than last week’s). We both played better this time. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s match.”

Dipika Pallikal (IND) 3-0 Cheyna Tucker (RSA)
                             11-3, 11-6, 11-3 (36m)

Top seed and home favorite Dipika Pallikal took the reins and didn’t let go in her semifinal match against Cheyna Tucker (RSA). Tucker made it interesting with some really nice, long rallies and a couple of lovely shots that made Pallikal scramble to return. But Pallikal controlled the match from the start and seemed to know how to elicit unforced errors from her opponent. Tucker hustled for all three games, but didn’t manage to take any of them home, and Pallikal won 11-3, 11-6, 11-3 for a spot in the final.

Pallikal:
“It was a good match with long rallies. I did a bit of training with Cheyna last year, so we know each other on court. It was a good win, and I hope to carry on form tomorrow.”

Draws & Results

Indian Challenger Circuit Launch

Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 3-0 Ravi Dixit (IND)
                          11-4, 11-6, 11-4 (30m)

Jaipur tournament champ Harinder Pal Sandhu kept alive the hope of an Indian in the final with his win today over Ravi Dixit. The two, who often train together at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, were well familiar with each other’s game, and Sandhu was able to use that to his advantage. Dixit played well, but the more experienced Sandhu kept to his short game strategy and controlled the match, taking it in three straight sets 11-4, 11-6, 11-4. Sandhu will play Karim El Hammamy (EGY) in tomorrow’s semifinals.

Ammar Altamimi (EGY) bt  Kush Kumar (IND)
           8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-1, 3-2  retired injured (42m)

Second-seed Ammar Altamimi (KUW) headed into the semifinals after an abbreviated match with Kush Kumar (IND), who retired injured toward the beginning of the fifth game. Kumar started off strong, taking the first two games from long, brilliant rallies, even as Altamimi spent more time in the middle. In the third game, Altamimi turned it on, getting up a quick lead, 8-1. Kumar eked out a few points, but more unforced errors slid into his game and it went Altamimi’s way, 11-6.

In the fourth game, Kumar couldn’t touch Altamimi who increasingly put the ball all over the court, generally just out of Kumar’s reach, and he took it 11-1, sending it into the decider. But after only two points, Kumar retired with a leg injury, and the game and match went to Altamimi 3-2. Altamimi will play Shehab Essam Hosny (EGY) in tomorrow’s semifinals.

WSA Quarters

Nouran El Torky (EGY) 3-1 Birgit Coufal (AUT)
                    11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 (39m)

The women’s circuit’s reigning champ, Nouran El Torky (EGY), is one step closer to a third trophy after a win against Birgit Coufal (AUT) in today’s quarterfinals. Coufal played well, with her typical calm, unrushed style, but after the second game was never quite able to finish it off. The two traded points in the first game until El Torky took it 11-9.

Coufal stormed into the second game, though, getting a small lead 5-1, then 9-5 before she took it 11-7 with a brilliant cross kill. El Torky retaliated in the third game, coming back from behind, 4-7, with some lovely cross-court shots, to win it 11-8. The last game saw the two going back and forth with some interesting rallies, with Coufal behind until at 4-8, she went on a small run to level it. But El Torky’s nerves were stronger, and she took the game 12-10. El Torky will play Laura Pomportes (FRA) in tomorrow’s semifinals.


Dipika Pallikal (IND) 3-0 Chloé Mesic (FRA)
                      11-3, 11-2, 11-4 (22m)

Tournament top seed and home favorite Dipika Pallikal swept through her quarterfinal match against Chloe Mesic (FRA). While Pallikal’s experience was on display, Mesic did seem off her game, especially in the first match which saw many unforced errors from her as she tried to find her legs.

In the second game, Mesic took a point with a nice drop that surprised Pallikal, though her only other point came from a stroke that game. Pallikal closed it off with a straight kill, 11-2. In the third game, a couple of careless errors by Pallikal helped Mesic to a better showing, but it was always Pallikal’s game. Mesic seemed to know it, and the game and match went to Pallikal after Mesic returned into the tin, 11-4. Pallikal will play Cheyna Tucker (RSA) in tomorrow’s semifinals.

Draws & Results

Indian Challenger Circuit Launch

Draws & Results

Indian Challenger Circuit Launch

Draws & Results

Indian Challenger Circuit Launch

14-Oct, Men's Qualifying Round One
Reports by Liesl Goecker, Circuit Director

Rishad Pandole (IND) 3-0  Abhinav Sinha (IND) 11-7, 12-10, 11-6 (30m)

Rishad Pandole and Abhinav Sinha got things started at the lovely NSCI courts this evening. The two were well-matched, and the seesaw first game was at 7-7 before Pandole drove one deep past Sinha and snuck in another that hugged the wall to bring up game ball at 10-7. Sinha came out swinging in the second game to get up a small lead 4-0, and was solidly in control until 7-3, when Pandole began steadily cutting the deficit to pull nearly even at 6-7.

Sinha regained control of the play at 9-6. But Pandole responded well with a couple of well-constructed points that included a backhand volley drop that rolled into the nick. It was 8-9, and Sinha had his hands full. He played a controlled point to bring up game ball, and then inexplicably served out. Pandole took full advantage of the opportunity by playing two more delicate drops, and soon he was up two games to love. Going into the third game, Sinha, the younger player, looked to be in better physical condition, but Pandole wasn’t about to blow a two-game lead.

Sinha was moving a bit better by this time, but errors began to creep into his game and at 6-6, he was staring down the barrel of the match. At 6-7, Sinha wasn’t sure of one of his pick-ups and Pandole used the let to drive home the advantage. A stroke of luck sent one of Pandole’s serves into the nick, and he followed that up with two well-played points to win the game and match.

Ranvijay Singh (IND) 3-2 Vikas Jangra (IND) 4-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (46m)

The more experienced Vikas Jangra controlled the pace and direction for the first two games against Ranvijay Singh. All things seemed to be going his way as he held down the ball beautifully and sent the southpaw Singh in the wrong direction time and again. At 2-0, a Jangra victory seemed all but inevitable, but Singh had other ideas and began clawing his way back into the contest.

He won the third game 11-5, and charged full steam ahead as Jangra fell off his game. Singh won the fourth and fifth games 11-8, 11-5 to earn a well-deserved spot in tomorrow’s second qualifying round.

Alex Noakes (ENG) 3-0 Sandeep Paswan (IND) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (31m)

Junior Sandeep Paswan from the Jindal Squash Academy had his hands full as he went head-to-head with Alex Noakes. To his credit, he jumped straight into stride and wasn’t overawed by the occasion. A few delectable drops by Paswan took him to 4-5 in the opener and he was looking good. But a flurry of points from Noakes took charge of the game at 9-4.

Paswan fought till the end, but Noakes took the first game 11-6. Paswan continued to battle gamely, but the Englishman had his measure with an identical score in the second game. It was three of a kind as Noakes kept page to win the third, again 11-6.

Ben Coates (ENG) 3-0 Arjun Agnihotri (IND) 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8 (36m)

Benjamin Coates  had the length, but Arjun Agnihotri had the power in this match up. Coates won the first two games quickly displaying a nice drop shot that would trouble Agnihotri throughout. But Agnihotri came out swinging in the third game, and the two traded points until he took it 11-8.

The decider was the most exciting, with some nice long rallies that included a lovely boast from Coates and two sharp shots into the nick from each player. Neck and neck until the end, at 7-7 two unforced errors from Agnihotri gave Coates the edge and he was quick to follow up. At 10-8, Coates’ drop got by Agnihotri yet again, and he won the game and match 11-8.

Sandeep Jangra (IND) 3-0 Puneet Pareek (IND)  12-10, 11-6, 11-3 (23m)

Sandeep Jangra may have controlled all three games against Puneet Pareek today, but that didn’t mean Pareek made it easy. The two players went point-for-point in the first game, and Pareek drove it into extra points before Jangra finished it off 12-10.

In the middle of the second game, which Jangra also won 11-6, Pareek’s energy seemed to give out. Jangra shot into the lead 6-1 in the third game, as Pareek clung to the T, missing a couple of retrievals for want of stretch. At 7-2, Pareek managed to pick up a point with a serve that lightly dropped off the front wall without giving Jangra a chance. But there was no stopping Jangra. A couple of lovely deep shots later, and he was serving 10-3 for match point. Pareek saw the writing on the wall and, in a desperate return, sent the ball slamming into the tin to give game and match to Jangra 11-3.

#1 Jaipur | #2 Mumbai | #3 Mumbai | #4 Chennai