Mumbai: Favourite Urwashi Joshi, of Maharashtra, made short work of her statemate Avani Nagar with an eye-catching straight games win to breeze into the women’s semifinals of the GSC-All India squash Open, hosted by Goregaon Sports Club at their courts here today. Urwashi was through with a 11-2,11-6, 11-3 win.
Rohit Kadam continued his fine run when he beat Jamal Sakib (SER) 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11 in a tensely fought men’s quarterfinals tie.. While second seeded Abhishek Agarwal dropped first game before overcoming Rutvik Rau (MH) 12-14, 11-2, 11-3, 11-3. But top seeded Abhishek Pradhan was through with a straight games (11-7, 11-2, 11-6) win over Services Mahul Kumar.
Avinash Yadav settled the pretensions of Shlok Makhija, also from Maharashtra with a 11-3,11-9, 13-11 win in the boys under-19 quarterfinals. But the day’s upset win came in the boys under 17, when off-colour top seeded Akhilesh Kumar from Chandigarh was sent packing by Jay Vaknalli 11-8, 11-3, 11-2. And there was lively fight between Prini Jain of Maharashtra and Tisha Jasani, also from Maharashtra, in the girls under-15 which went to the wire. Prini in the end prevailed 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 14-16, 11-5 in the day’s longest and toughest tie.
Results (Qfs)
Men: (1)- A Pradhan (MH) bt M Kumar (SER) 11-7, 11-2, 11-6; A Singh (MH) bt A Unadkat (SER) 7-0 (retd); R Kadam (MH) bt J Sakib (SER) 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11; (2)-A Agarwal (MH) bt R Rau (MH) 12-14, 11-2, 11-3, 11-3.Women: (1)-U Joshi (MH) bt A Nagar (MH) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3; P Salunke (MH) bt N Agarwal (MH) 11-3, 11-0, 11-5; N Sharma (MH) bt S Baslwani (MH) 9-11, 10-7 (retd). Boys (U-19): (2)- A Yadav (MH) bt S Makhia (MH) 11-3,11-9, 13-11; P Singh (CH) bt A Sahani (MH) 11-4,11-5, 11-1; A Adik (MH) bt J S Sethi (DL) 11-5, 11-6, 12-10; (1)-A Mehta (MH) bt K Shah (MH) 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10. Under-17: J Vaknalli (MH) bt (1)-A Kumar (CH) 11-8, 11-3, 11-2; A Darukhanwalla (MH) bt G Kumar (UP) 8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-9; A Mandhana (MH) bt J Pandole (MH) 8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8; (2)-M Bhatt (MH) bt N Sharma (RJ) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5. Under-15: (1)- S Punjabi (MH) bt V Jain (DL) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6; K Khandelwal (MH) bt D Kumar (TS) 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 13-11;; A Kancharia (MH) bt U Rai (MH) 11-2, 11-0, 11-7
- FPJ Sports Desk
