Mumbai : Urwashi Joshi of Jindal, Mumbai escaped to a nail-biting 3-2 win over Ashita Bhengra of Tamil Nadu to enter the women’s final, in the 72nd CCI-Western India Open Squash Tournament, at the Cricket Club of India on Thursday. Second seed Joshi snatched the most absorbing match of the day following an 11-8, 8-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9 win in a contest that could have gone either way. Urwashi started off well but endured stiff resistance from the beginning as Bhengra kept up the pressure while going down in five tight games.
Urwashi will face top seed Akanksha Salunkhe of Goa who set herself up for the under-19 crown as well, after prevailing over national girls’ under-17 runner-up Sunayna Kuruvilla of Tamil Nadu who upset second seed Jui Kalgutkar of Mumbai in the under-19 semi-final. Also in line for a double was CWG Youth Games bronze medallist and national boys’ under-19 champion Velavan Senthilkumar of Tamil Nadu who advanced to the men’s and under-19 finals as the favourite. Senthilkumar will meet second seed Sandeep Jangra in the men’s final and second seed Ranjit Singh of Uttar Pradesh in the under-19 final.