Kanhav Nanavati and Guhan Senthilkumar both from Tamil Nadu did not drop a game in winning their first round matches in the JSW-Bombay Gymkhana 46th Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament 2023, and co-sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Parfums, at the Gymkhana’s air-conditioned squash courts on Saturday.
Nanavati was in complete control against Maharashtra’s Umang Patel and eased to a 11-3, 11-6, 11-9 victory, while Senthilkumar faced a bit of a challenge from Deepak Tiwari also from Maharashtra before coming through at 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 to advance to the second round.
In boys’ under-19 round 32 encounter, Mishall Daruvala of Maharashtra managed to overcome compatriot Popat Jainu Darvada in three games. Daruvala encountered some resistance initially but after winning a tight first game he called the shots and went on to clinch a 12-10, 11-5, 11-5 win. Daruvala will meet second seed Vivaan Shah In the next round.
In the most engrossing Men’s first round clash of the morning session, Kunal Singh of Madhya Pradesh after losing the first two games against Services Akhilesh Kumar Yadav gallantly fought back to win the next three games in succession to clinch a hard-fought 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-1, 17-15 victory.
Meanwhile, Goa’s Kevin Albuquerque was in great form and conceded just four points to Amol Rathod of Maharashtra by cruising to a quick 11-2, 11-0, 11-2 victory in another first round match.
Results – Men (Round-64): Varun Gupta (MH) bt Elijah D’Souza (MH) 11-1, 11-3, 11-4; Deepak Mandal (MH) bt Adit Jain (KA) 11-4, 11-2, 11-5; Divit Poojary (MH) bt Deerav Moolani (MH) 7-11, 11-2, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8; Avinash Sahani (MH) bt Sarang Nagpurkar (MH) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6; Yash Kothari (MH) bt Kalash Talati (UP) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3; Kunal Singh (MP) bt Akhilesh Kumar Yadav (SR) 8-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-1, 17-15; Vedansh Kushwaha (MH) bt Ashish Patel (MH) 11-6, 11-3, 11-1; Abhishek Banodha (MP) bt Maunil Vora (MH) 12-10, 11-5, 11-5; Raja Yadav (MH) bt Anagha Basu (JH) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9; Kevin Albuquerque (GA) bt Amol Rathod (MH) 11-2, 11-0, 11-2; Guhan Senthilkumar (TN) bt Deepak Tiwari (MH) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6; Abhishek Agarwal (MH) bt Parth Suryawanshi (MH) 11-1, 11-3, 11-2; Ajay Singh Bhadoria (SR) bt Mayank Pimpley (MH) 11-5, 11-6, 11-1; Om Semwal (MH) bt Varun Johnny (MH) 11-4, 11-1, 11-2; Kanhav Nanavati (TN) bt Umang Patel (MH) 11-3, 11-6, 11-9; Krushna Darvada (MH) bt Mohammadfaisal Khandwani (MH) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3; Udit Sharma (MH) bt Yash Dayal (MH) 11-7, 11-2, 11-3; Arman Darukhanawalla (MH) bt Parth Vaidya (MH) 11-2, 11-5, 11-4.
Boys’ U-19 (Round-32): Narayan Manohar Lachka (MH) bt Abhinav Mehta (MH) 11-8, 11-9, 11-6; Tanay Kadam (MH) bt Ram Pandu Darvada (MH) 11-4, 11-2, 11-8; Tanul Bomia (MH) bt Yogesh Mahesh Hirve (MH) 11-5, 11-6, 11-13, 11-4; Prakash Aujhi (MH) bt Ananta Raghunath Nirguda (MH) 11-6, 11-5, 11-1; Mishall Daruvala (MH) bt Popat Jainu Darvada (MH) 12-10, 11-5, 11-5.
Boys’ U-11 (Round-32): 1-Aaditya Shah (MH) bt Nilesh Patel (MH) 11-3, 11-2, 11-3; Aaron Arambhan (MH) bt Vihaan Taparia (MH) 11-3, 11-4, 1-7; Rahul Shingava (MH) bt Siddharth Mamania (MH) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8; Dhruv Dubey (MH) bt Kalp Hiteshkumar 11-2, 11-8, 11-3; Viraj Saran (MH) bt Adhiraj Anand (MH) 11-1, 11-3, 11-1; 3/4-Parshuram Lachaka (MH) bt Ishaan Goenka (MH) 11-0, 11-3, 11-1; 3/4-Krishiv Mittal (MH) bt Amit Kumar (MH) 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; Aarav Agrawal (MP) bt Rohan Daravada (MH) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6; Rishabh Shyam (MH) bt Mikhail Mehta (MH) 11-8, 11-9, 11-3; 2-Dhairya Gogia (RJ) bt Vivaan Chadha (MH) 11-0, 11-3, 11-5.