Talented teenager Anahat Singh of Delhi hogged the spotlight winning the women’s and girls’ under-19 crowns in the Bombay Gymkhana JSW-46th Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament 2023, and co-sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Parfums, at the Gymkhana’s courts on Wednesday.
The 15-year-old Anahat showed excellent skills and exquisite touch as she wore down Tamil Nadu’s 3/4-seed Rathika Suthanthira Seelan and charged to a straight game 11-0, 11-6, 11-7 victory with a degree of comfort in the women’s final.
In the men’s final, the top-seeded Mahesh Mangaonkar of Maharashtra recovered brilliantly after losing the opening game against his state opponent Abhishek Agarwal and then went on to win the next three games to clinch a clinical 6-11, 11-5, 11-3, and 11-6 victory.
Earlier in the girls’ under-19 final, the second-seeded Anahat proved too good for another Tamil Nadu challenger M. Amritha Rajalakshmi and cruised to a quick 11-2, 11-2, and 11-0 victory and complete the double.
However, there was plenty to cheer for the Tamil Nadu girls as claimed three titles. Top seed Jerusha Jebindran tamed Maharashtra’s 3/4-seed Sandhya Yadav 11-2, 11-5, and 11-0 in the under-9 final and in the under-11 final, number one seed Yashika Vinothkumar staved off a strong challenge from Maharashtra’s second seed Shanaya Roy clinching a 11-7, 12-14, 11-6, 11-13, and 11-3 victory. Later, in the under-13 final contested between Tamil Nadu player D. Nitiyasree defeated Goushika M. 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s 3/4-seed prevailed over her compatriot and second seed Anika Dubey by a comfortable 11-3, 11-7, and 11-7 game scores to win the under-15 title. In the under-17 final, Maharashtra’s second seed showed tremendous fighting qualities as she rallied from the brink to overcome Tamil Nadu’s top seed Ananya Narayanan I five games at 6-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3, and 11-9.
In the boys’ under-19 summit clash, 3/4-seed Ayaan Vaziralli of Maharashtra eased past his state mate Siddhant Rewari racing to an 11-1, 11-4, and11-2 win. Earlier, top seed Arjun Somani defeted second seed Ekambir Singh 11-6. 11-9, 9-11, and 11-8 in an all-Maharashtra boys’ under-17 final.
Results (all finals) - Girls’ U-9: 1-Jerusha Jebindran (TN) 3/4-Sandhya Yadav (MH) 11-2, 11-5, 11-0.
Girls U-11: 1-Yashika Vinothkumar (TN) bt 2-Shanaya Roy (MH) 11-7, 12-14, 11-6, 11-13, 11-3.
Girls’ U-13: 1-D. Nitiyasree (TN) bt Goushika M (TN) 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7;
Girls U-15: 3/4-Anika Dubey (MH) bt 2-Diva Shah (MH) 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.
Girls U-17: 2-Rudra Singh (MH) bt 1-Ananya Narayanan (TN) 6-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-9.
Girls U-19: 2-Anahat Singh (DL) bt M Amritha Rajalakshmi (TN) 11-2, 11-2, 11-0.
Boys' U-9: 1-Tilakvir Kapoor (MH) bt 2-Aarav Venkat Kothapalli 11-4, 11-2, 11-4.
Boys' U-11: 1-Aaditya Shah (MH) bt 2-Dhairya Gogia (RJ) 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7.
Boys' U-13: 2-Shreyansh Jha (MH) bt 1-Swarit Patil (MH) 11-5, 11-2, 11-5.
Boys’ U-15: 3/4-Shiven Agarwal (TN) bt 3/4-Purav Rambhia (MH) 11-3, 11-9, 11-6.
Boys’ U-17: 1-Arjun Somani (MH) bt 2-Ekambir Singh (MH) 11-6. 11-9, 9-11, 11-8.
Boys’ U-19: 3/4-Ayaan Vaziralli (MH) bt Siddhant Rewari (MH) 11-1, 11-4, 11-2.
Women: 1- Anahat Singh (DL) bt 3/4-Rathika Suthanthira Seelan (TN) 11-0, 11-6, 11-7.
Men: 1-Mahesh Mangaonkar (MH)
Abhishek Agarwal
Men 35+: 1-Arjun Agnihotri (WB) bt Arun Sharma (MH) 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5.
Men 45+: 1-Sachin Jadhav (MH) bt Navneet Narain (SR) 11-7, 11-4, 11-2.
Men 55+: Deepak Moolani (MH) bt 1-Ashun Bahl (MH) 11-5, 7-11, 15-13, 11-6.
Men 65+: Vijay Jaini (HR) bt 1-Lalit Kumar Agnihotri (MH) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8.
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