Maharashtra’s Aryaman Adik exhibited tremendous resilience and steady nerves to stave off a determined fight-back from Delhi’s Yash Bhargava to record a rewarding 3-2 win in an absorbing boys’ under-19 final in the Rs 6.5 lakh prize-money NSCI Indian Classic Junior Open Squash Championship 2016, an SRFI 4-Star sanctioned and an ASF Silver event, and which was conducted and hosted by NSCI and played at the NSCI glass-back courts on Sunday.
All the winners in the different categories of the Rs 6.5 lakh prize-money NSCI Indian Classic Junior Open Squash Championship 2016 proudly pose with their trophies along with the dignitaries. (left to right) Jay Jahveri, Squash Committee Convener, NSCI ; Nihar Shah, Squash Committee Member, NSCI; Ameet Desai, Squash Committee Member, NSCI; Mehul Shah, Jt. Hon Sec, NSCI and Jayantilal Shah, President, NSCI.
The contest between the joint 3rd seeds, Aryaman and Yash witnessed an energy-sapping battle for supremacy. The Maharashtra lad got off the blocks quickly and comfortably pocketed the first two games to grab a 2-0 lead. But Yash was not prepared to give up without putting up a fight and with sheer fighting spirit, managed to claim the next two games to take the match to the wire. In the deciding game, Aryaman displaying more stamina went on to win it and wrap up the match at 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 6-11, 11-4 in 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong girl’s Ka Wing Ho and Tin Yan Lau completed a satisfying outing to Mumbai, by claiming the top honours in the under-19 and under-15 events respectively.
In the under-19 final, the number one seed Ka Wing dropped the second game enroute to defeating Goa’s second seed Akanksha Salunkhe 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 in a little over 31 minutes.
Earlier, Tin Yan lived up to her top billing, defeating her fellow Hong Kong colleague Sin Yuk Chan in four keenly contested games, posting a 11-3, 7-11, 13-11, 11-9 in minutes to clinch the under-15 crown.
Goa’s top-seeded Yash Fadte emerged champion in the boys’ under-15 event by putting it across Maharashtra’s joint 3rd seed Advait Adik in straight games at 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.
Top seed Ashita Pranaya Bhengra of Tamil Nadu defeated second seed Nikita Joshi of Maharashtra to bag the girls’ under-17 title while Maharashtra’s top seed Tushar Shahani won the boys’ under-17 final recording 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8 win over state mate (MH) Arman Jindal.
The champions and runners-up received cash awards and handsome trophies. Cash awards were also presented to all players up to the eighth position.
Final results – Girls’ U-11: 1-Kaavya Bansal (MH) bt 2-Advita Sharma (MH) 11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 11-0.
Girls’ U-13: 1-Aishwarya Khubchandani (MH) bt 2-Diksha Aurobindo (TN) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6.
Girls’ U-15: 1-Tin Yan Lau (HK) bt Sin Yuk Chan (HK) 11-3, 7-11, 13-11, 11-9.
Girls’ U-17: 1-Ashita Pranaya Bhengra (TN) bt 2-Nikita Joshi (MH) 11-13, 13-11, 11-5, 11-8. 28.47
Girls’ U-19: 1-Ka Wing Ho (HK) bt 2-Akanksha Salunkhe (GA) 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8.
Boys’ U-11: 1-Yuvraj Wadhwani (MH) bt 2-Vivaan Shah (MH) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7.
Boys’ U-13: 1-Aakash Gupta (MH) bt 3/ 4-Shreyas Mehta (MH) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 3-11, 11-9.
Boys’ U-15: 1-Yash Fadte (GA) bt 3/4-Advait Adik (MH) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.
Boys’ U-17: 1-Tushar Shahani (MH) bt 3/ 4-Arman Jindal (MH) 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-8.
Boys’ U-19: 3/ 4-Aryaman Adik (MH) bt 3/ 4-Yash Bhargava (DL