Maharashtra’s Aishwarya Khubchandani and Goa’s Yash Fadte are set to win double crowns in the 76th CCI Western India Squash Championship 2019.
In the girls’ under-19 semi-final, Aishwarya defeated state mate Yoshna Singh in three closely contested games at 11-9, 12-10, 13-11 at the CCI’s courts on Tuesday. Later in the evening, Aishwarya brushed aside Yoshna’s challenge by scoring a hard-fought 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 win to seal her place in the women’s final.
In contrast Yash quite comfortably won both his semi-finals. A relaxed and confident Yash tamed Tamil Nadu’s joint 3/4-seed Navaneeth Prabhu S. in straight games 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 in the under-19 match and later returned to the courts and sidelined another Tamil Nadu challenger Guhan Senthilkumar by coasting to a 11-4, 11-8, 11-3 win.
Meanwhile, in an interesting girls under-15 semi-final contest, Tamil Nadu’s joint 3/4-seed Shameena Riaz displayed tremendous fighting spirit to overcome second Aaryaa Belsare of Maharashtra winning five grueling games at 11-8, 11-7, 14-16, 6-11, 12-10.
In the women’s final, Aishwarya will clash with Maharashtra’s unseeded Samantha Chai who defeated Tamil Nadu’s Rathika Suthanthira Seelan in four games at 8-11, 11-7, 11-0, 11-8.
The men’s summit will see Yash take on seasoned campaigner and second seed 2-Gaurav Nandrajog of Delhi who defeated Tamil Nadu’s joint 3/4-seed Vikas Mehra by an easy 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 margin.
Results –
Girls’ under-15: 1-Kaavya Bansal (MH) beat Nandini Jain (DL) 11-3, 11-3, 11-7; 3/4-Shameena Riaz (TN) beat 2-Aaryaa Belsare (MH) 11-8, 11-7, 14-16, 6-11, 12-10.
Boys’ under-15: 1-Rutva Samant (MH) beat 3/4-Sharan Punjabi (MH) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6; 2-Krishna Mishra (MP) beat Vivaan Shah (MH) 11-2, 11-4, 11-2.
Girls’ under-17: 2-Abhisheka Shannon (TN) beat Saniya Jaggi (MH) 16-14, 11-3, 11-1; 3/4-Yuvna Gupta (MH) beat 1-Tanishka Jain (MH) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3.
Boys’ under-17:1-Arnaav Sareen (MH) bt 3/4-Tanay Punjabi (MH) 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-1; Arman Darukhanawalla (MH) beat Jay Vaknalli (MH) 12-10, 11-8, 11-9.
Girls’ under-19: 3/4-Aishwarya Khubchandani (MH) beat 1-Yoshna Singh (MH) 11-9, 12-10, 13-11; 2-Rathika Suthanthira Seelan (TN) beat 3/4-Anannya Morey (MH) 11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-4.
Boys’ under-19: 1-Yash Fadte (GA) beat 3/4-Navaneeth Prabhu S. (TN) 11-6, 11-3, 11-5; 2-Advait Adik (MH) beat 3/4-Neel Joshi (MH) 15-13, 11-4, 4-11, 14-12.
Women: 3/4-Aishwarya Khubchandani (MH) beat Yoshna Singh (MH) 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8; Samantha Chai (MH) beat Rathika Suthanthira Seelan (TN) 8-11, 11-7, 11-0, 11-8.
Men: Yash Fadte (GA) beat Guhan Senthilkumar (TN) 11-4, 11-8, 11-3; 2-Gaurav Nandrajog (DL) beat 3/4 -Vikas Mehra (TN) 11-6, 11-5, 11-5.