Dipika Pallikal falters in Texas Open final, loses to El Sherbini

IANS
Nour El Sherbini (left) and Dipika Pallikal

Nour El Sherbini (left) and Dipika Pallikal

Houston, April 14 (IANS): India’s top squash player Dipika Pallikal, eyeing the first major title of her career, went down to 18-year-old Egyptian Nour El Sherbini in the Women’s Champion Fiberglass Texas Open here Monday.

World No. 12 Dipika lost to the teenage qualifier 7-11, 11-5, 7-11 in 48 minutes.

The Indian, a former Asian Junior Champion, marched into the biggest Tour final of her career in sensational style.

The 22-year-old world No. 12 from Chennai battled for 75 minutes, enduring three tie-break games, to beat second seed Madeline Perry, the Irish number one ranked four places higher in the world, in the semis.

The junior world champion from Egypt leapt from 27 to 13 in the WSA World Rankings after her historic World Championship run in March, which saw her beat world number one Nicol David in Malaysia, and is sure to improve on this position after her latest win in the May list.

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Edited by Staff Editor