Ritwik in title round with Pak’s Ifrahim

NEW DELHI, NOV 21: Top seed Ritwik Bhattacharya of India today weathered a late burst from Yan Kah Ho (Hong Kong) 9-4, 9-0, 9-6 to set up a ...

NEW DELHI, NOV 21: Top seed Ritwik Bhattacharya of India today weathered a late burst from Yan Kah Ho (Hong Kong) 9-4, 9-0, 9-6 to set up a title clash with unseeded Ifrahim Gul (Pakistan) in the first Asian Squash Federation Junior (under-19) Circuit Grand Final at the Gymkhana Club courts here.

In the second semi-final, 15-year-old Ifrahim continued his giant-killing spree, defeating No 3 seed cousin and compatriot Mubashir Gul 9-4, 9-5, 9-6.

In the girls’ section, 15-year-old Nicol demonstrated why she was the top player in the continent as she overpowered fourth seed Tan Wah Siew in 24 minutes. The first game got off slowly with the Singapore girl taking a 8-6 lead only to see the top seed coming back with a beautiful drop shot to get back serve.

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The contest was virtually over then as Nicol allowed her opponent only three points in the rest of the match.

The Saren Lee-Tricia Chauah match, the only semi-final which went beyond three games today, saw some exciting rallies. Tricia, the No 2 seed fromMalaysia, was outplayed by Saren who took the first two games 9-7, 9-2.Tricia came back to take the third 9-6 but lost control of the fourth game 4-9 to lose the match.

In the placing for five to eight, India’s Bikram Uberoi beat Roger Ngan (Hong Kong) 6-9, 10-9, 9-1, 9-7, while another Indian, Ansul Manchanda, beat Kumaresan (Malaysia) 10-8, 9-2, 9-5.

Results

Boys’ (semi-finals): Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) bt Yan Kah Ho (HK) 9-4, 9-0, 9-6; Ifrahim Gul (Pak) bt Mubashir Gul (Pak) 9-4, 9-5, 9-6.

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Girls’ (semi-finals): Nicol David (Mal) bt Tan Wah Siew (Sing) 10-8, 9-0, 9-1; Saren Lee (Sing) bt Tricia Chanh (Mal) 9-7, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4.

Placings (5-8) boys’: Abhimanu Jain (Ind) bt Varun Kumar (Ind) 9-7, 9-3, 9-1; Anshul Manchanda (Ind) bt Kumaresan (Mal) 10-8, 9-2, 9-5; Teng Keng Guan (Mal) bt Yashwardhan Singh (Ind) 9-1, 9-4, 9-2; Weng Wan San (Mal) bt Mihir Kapoor (Ind) 9-2, 9-0, 9-6; Bikram Uberoi (Ind) bt Roger Ngan (HK) 6-9, 10-9, 9-1, 9-7.

Girls: Pia Abraham (Ind) btSupriya Balasekhar (Ind) 9-3, 9-4, 9-3; Akanksha Hazari (HK) bt Joshna Chinnappa (Ind) 9-4, 9-2, 9-5; Karen Lau (HK) bt Kong Yi Zhen (Mal) 9-5, 10-8, 9-3.