India's Yash Fadte fell at the final hurdle but still did himself proud by finishing runner-up in the boys U-15 category in the Pioneer Cup 2016 super series junior event organised by the German Squash Federation in Cologne.
He was the only Indian player this year to reach this high. In the final, Fadte went down fighting to the English player Jared Carter in five games after leading 2-1 at one stage. Carter won 12-10, 6-11, 9-11,11-7, 14-12.
Fadte had an impressive run to the final beating Andre Igelbrink of Germany 11-6, 12-10, 11-6 in the first round. Thereafter getting past Adam Jirousek (Cze) 11-2 11-3, 11-4 and Yassim Amir (USA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 next, the Indian brought down the second seed Miguel Mathis of Switzerland in the quarters 11-6, 11-5, 11-3. In the semi-final, he beat Ashraf Abdelnaby of Egypt 11-5, 11-1, 11-3.
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Results of other Indians: Boys U-19: 1st rd: Abhay Singh bt Sean Redman (Ger) 11-3, 11-6, 11-9 ; 2nd rd: bt Andraz Demsar (Slo) 13-11, 11-4, 11-5; 3rd rd: lost to Dimitri Steinmann (Swit) 9-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-3; U-13: 1st rd: Rutwa Samant bt Philipp Hansert (Swit) 11-3, 11-6, 11-4; 2nd rd: bt Jackson Whitfield (Eng) 11-8, 11-7, 3-11, 11-8; 3rd rd: lost to Nathan Masset (Bel) 9-11,6-1, 3-11
Girls: U-17: 1st rd: Koel Shankar lost to Eve Coxon (Eng) 8-11, 2-11, 2-11.
