'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
CHENNAI: Qualifier Velavan Senthilkumar got a lesson from the top seed and Indian Squash Academy mate Harinderpal Sandhu, getting beaten in straight games. Sandhu thus strolled into the quarterfinal on Monday in the final leg of the JSW-Indian squash circuit here.
The up-and-coming Velavan played a spirited game, but Sandhu barely broke a sweat. Dominating right through, Sandhu won 11-6, 11-4, 11-7, the whole exercise getting over in 30 minutes. Another qualifier Youssef Soliman (EGY) upset fourth-seed Mohamed Elgawarhy (EGY) 3-1 in a 50-minute match. In another court, Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) upset 8th-seed Matias Tuomi in similar fashion.
Meanwhile Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW), the man best remembered by most Indian squash fans as the player to steal gold from Saurav Ghosal in the Asian Games, came, saw, and moved one step closer to conquering. Al Muzayen flew into town early in the morning, only to play and win a grueling 5-game match against countryman Ammar Altamimi just 12 hours later.
In the women’s section, Indian hopes for a woman champion died out in the first round itself. Sachika Ingale (IND) stood the best chance, as the tournament's 10th-seed, but faced a tough draw against 8th-seed Tong Tsz-Wing of Hong Kong. Ingale started each game strong, even taking a small lead in the third, but in typical fashion, was unable to hold it and turn it around once she fell behind. Tsz-Wing took the match 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 in 26 minutes. The rest, Akanksha Salunkhe, Sunayna Kuruvilla, Apoorva AVS Samita, Ashita Pranaya Bhengra, and Janet Vidhi all lost out decisively.
Otherwise there were no upsets in this section with top-seed Milou van der Heijden (NED) leading the way into the quarterfinal round followed by second seed Nouran El Torky, of Egypt.
The results: first round (pre-quarter):
Men: Harinderpal Singh Sandhu (IND) bt Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 ; Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 12-10, 7-11, 11-3, 11-4; Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt Mohamed Elgawarhy (EGY) 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 ; Joel Makin (WAL) bt Muhammad Hannan (MAS) 11-4, 11-0 retd; Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 9-11, 11-6, 16-14, 4-11, 11-8; Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt Ravi Dixit (IND) 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 ; Mazen Gamal (EGY) bt Vijay Kumar (IND) 9-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-7 ; Kush Kumar (IND) beat Chi Him Wong (HKG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 11-4.
Women: Milou van der Heijden (NED) bt Sadia Gul (PAK) 11-1, 13-11, 11-8; Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) bt Sachika Ingale (IND) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 ; Vanessa Raj (MAS) beat Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) 11-4, 11-3, 11-7; Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Sunayna Kuruvilla (IND) 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4; Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) bt Apoorva AVS Samita (IND) 11-7, 11-2, 11-8; Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Janet Vidhi (IND) 11-3, 11-3, 11-3; Lee Ka Yi (HKG) bt Ashita Pranaya Bhengra (IND) 11-2, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt Sammer Anjum (PAK) 11-7, 12-10, 11-6
