Mumbai: Top-ranked players Abhishek Pradhan and Urwashi Joshi proved their billing right by winning the men's and women's titles in the Otters Club Open Squash Tournament, co-sponsored by Mahindra Rise, at the Otters Club Squash courts here on Sunday. Abhishek Pradhan got the better of Rahul Baitha 12-10, 11-5, 11-6, while Urwashi Joshi defeated Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-1, 11-6, 11-8 to boost Maharashtra's domination in this championship.
Urwashi was up against the Tamil Nadu's Aparajitha conceded just 15 points before shunting the giant-killer Aparajitha who accounted for many ranked players en-route to the summit clash. Aparajitha who brought a premature end to the second seed Sachika Balvani could manage just one point as Urwashi ran away with the first game.
Urwashi has been in the pick of the action throughout the tournament, and she has not dropped a single game in the entire championship, as she went on to take the 2-0 lead with a 11-6 second game. There were some signs of recovery by the Tamil Nadu player, but Aparajitha did not give way to her opponent's aggressive approach taking the decider 11-8, and extend her lease on the tile for yet another year.
Results:
Women: Urwashi Joshi (1) bt Aparajitha Balamurukan (3/4) 11-1, 11-6, 11-8 Men: Abhishek Pradhan (1) bt Rahul Baitha (5/8) 12-10, 11-5, 11-6
- FPJ Sports Desk
