Mumbai: Top-seeded Rahul Baitha sailed into the quarter-finals defeating Sandeep Singh in three games at 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 in a men’s round-16 match in the 77th CCI-Western India Slam squash championship organised by the Cricket Club of India (CCI) under the auspices of the SRFI (Squash Raquets Federation of India) and played at the refurbished CCI squash courts on Tuesday.
In an engrossing men’s match, Kunj Rawani produced a determined fighting performance and after losing the first two games he recovered to overcome Deepak Mandal in a long drawn tussle before the latter retired in the deciding game. Rawani was leading 8-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-9, and 8-1 when Mandal conceded the match.
Meanwhile, Amaira Mehta of CCI continued with a fine form and prevailed over Myra Jhawar coasting to a 11-7, 11-6, and 11-3 to progress to the girls’ under-13 quarter-finals. Top-seeded dropped just four points as she tamed Vasundhara Nangare in three quick games at 11-3, 11-0, and 11-1. In other matches, Laxmi Lachka defeated Kimaayra Jain 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 and Drishti Pawar beat Raayisha Naik 11-2, 11-0, 11-3.
Another CCI player Varun Shah had things under complete control and defeated Hriday Rajani 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 in a boys’under-15 last 16 match.
In a interesting boys’ under-17 last 16 encounter, Arihant Ks stayed focused and managed to turn the tables on Priyanshu Kumar snatching a 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3, and 11-6 win to advance to the quarter-finals.
The day also witnessed two closely contested matches in the boys’ under-19 category. Raju Shingava brushed aside the challenge from Naresh Shingva puling through in four games at 12-10, 7-11, 12-10, and 11-6, while Hunarpal Kohli also fought hard to put it across Dhruv Kumar Gangashetty winning at 11-4, 11-6, 8-11, and 11-2.
Vivaan Shah also from CCI worked hard to brush aside the challenge from Lakshya Motial winning in four games at 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, and 11-8.
Results - Girls' U-13 (Round-16): Amaira Mehta bt Myra Jhawar 11-7, 11-6, 11-3; 1-Aarika Mishra bt Vasundhara Nangare 11-3, 11-0, 11-1; Laxmi Lachka bt Kimaayra Jain 11-7, 11-9, 11-4; Drishti Pawar bt Raayisha Naik 11-2, 11-0, 11-3.
Boys' U-19 (Round-16): Raju Shingava bt Naresh Shingva 12-10, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6; Vivaan Shah beat Lakshya Motial 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8; Amit Gupta bt Vatsalya Saraf 11-5, 14-12, 11-6; Hunarpal Kohli bt Dhruv Kumar Gangashetty 11-4, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2; Sharan Punjabi bt Bhagwan Das 11-1, 11-4, 11-8.
Boys' U-17 (Round-16): Arihant Ks bt Priyanshu Kumar 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6; Yuvraj Wadhwani bt Tanish Vaidya 11-6, 11-7, 11-2; Abhiraj Singh bt Adeev Devaiah 6-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6; Sunny Yadav bt Amit Gupta 11-3, 11-2, 11-5; 1-Om Semwal bt Dhairya Shah 11-2, 11-6, 11-1.
Boys' U-15 (Round-16): Varun Shah bt Hriday Rajani 11-4, 11-2, 11-3; Purav Rambhia bt Aatik Yadav 6-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-4; Agastya Bansal bt Devdarsen Vanithatamilmohan 11-6, 11-2, 11-1; Hridhaan Shah bt Abdus Samad Shah 11-4, 11-4, 11-0;
Boys' U-13 (Round-16): 1-Saharsh Shahra bt Ansh Somani 11-2, 11-1, 11-3; Vihaan Das bt Vivaan Khanna 11-6, 11-2, 11-5; 2-Aryaan Prabhu bt Armaan Choudhary 11-2, 11-4, 11-1.
Boys' U-11 (Round-16): 1-Dhruv Johri bt Dhruv Dubey 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4; Shayan Samtani bt Shourya Rakshit 11-5, 11-9, 11-5; Viaan Khemani bt Krishiv Mittal 11-6, 11-7, 13-11; Sahil Waghamare bt Pratik Pandurang Daravada 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8.
Men's (Round-16): 1-Rahul Baitha bt Sandeep Singh 11-8, 11-7, 13-11; Yashwir Singh Hooda bt Gautham Atmakur 11-3, 11-2, 11-2; Avinash Sahani bt Vishal Rajbhar 11-6, 11-7, 11-7; Kunj Rawani bt Deepak Mandal 8-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-9, 8-1 (retired); Avinash Yadav bt Kunal Singh 12-10, 11-8, 11-9. Akhilesh Kumar Yadav bt Yash Makhija 11-9, 11-9, 11-6
