Ranjit Singh, Akanksha Salunkhe and Jaivir Singh Dhillon emerge victorious at NSCI Juniors Finals

Ranjit Singh, Robin Singh Mann and Nikita Joshi

Unseeded Ranjit Singh of Uttar Pradesh grabbed the top honors by defeating Krish Kapur of West Bengal in four games 13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4 in little over 31 minutes in the Boys U-19 final. Ranjit displayed fantastic squash as the crowd cheered gracefully. He is definitely someone to look out for in the future.

Delhi’s Robin Singh Mann, the top seed brushed aside the challenge from Maharashtra’s joint third seed Aryaman Adik romping to a 3-1 claim the boys’ under-17 title. Robin started in a rousing fashion by racing to a 2-0 lead before Aryaman won a tight third game to reduce the deficit. But Robin once again dictated term in the fourth which he won comfortably to complete a 11-4, 11-6, 15-17, 11-4 win.

In the girl’s under-17 final, top-seeded Nikita Joshi of Maharashtra outplayed Diya Joukani, who is from New Zealand but based in Mumbai, in three one-sided games. Nikita was on a roll from the start and hardly put a foot wrong as she committed only 2 errors as she waltzed to a fluent 11-3, 11-3, 11-0 triumph.

Akanksha Salunkhe

Akanksha Salunkhe of Goa continued her giant-killing run en route to clinching girls’ under-19 category. The Goan girl was unimpressive at the start making too many errors and lost the first game. But she gradually tightened things up and cut down on the errors in the next two games and started to hit some smart winners, a total of 32 in all, to take the match away from her opponent and complete a 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 victory in 28 minutes.

Ananya Dabke

In the girls’ under-13 final, second seed Ananya Dabke of Maharashtra prevailed over Delhi’s top seed Megha Bhatia in four closely fought games at 13-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6. The boys’ title was won by Maharashtra’s top seed Neel Joshi who staved off the challenge from Tamil Nadu’s joint third seed Kanhav Nanavati to clinch a 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4 victory.

Veer Chotrani

Top seeds Navmi Sharma and Veer Chotrani, both from Maharashtra bagged the girls’ and boys’ under-15 titles respectively. Navmi had things very much her own way as she tamed joint third seed Jannia Singh of Chandigarh by 3-0 verdict (11-5, 11-4, 11-7), while Veer overcame state mate and second seed Rahul Baitha in four games winning at 11-8, 11-9, 13-15, 11-9.

Jaiveer Singh Dhillon

Jaiveer Singh Dhillon of Delhi lifted the boys’ under-11 title defeating Vivaan Shah of Mahrashtra 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, while top seed Yuvna Gupta of Maharashtra comfortably got past second seed Pooja Arthi R. of Tamil Nadu 11-9, 12-10, 12-10.

Final Results and Match Reports

FINALSGirls’ U11: 1-Yuvna Gupta (MH) bt 2-Pooja Arthi R. (TN) 11-9, 12-10, 12-10.Boys’ U11: Jaivir Singh Dhillon (DL) bt 3/ 4-Vivaan Shah (MH) 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6.Girls’ U13: 2-Ananya Dabke (MH) bt 1-Megha Bhatia (DL) 13-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6.Boys’ U13: 1-Neel Joshi (MH) bt 3/4-Kanhav Nanavati (TN) 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 11-4.Girls’ U15: 1-Navmi Sharma (MH) bt 3/4-Jannia Singh (CH) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7.Boys’ U15: Boys’ Under-15: 1-Veer Chotrani (MH) bt 2-Rahul Baitha (MH) 11-8, 11-9, 13-15, 11-9.Girls’ U17: 1-Nikita Joshi (MH) bt 3/4-Diya Joukani (MH) 11-3, 11-3, 11-0.Boys’ U17:1-Robin Singh Mann (DL) bt 3/4-Aryaman Adik (MH) 11-4, 11-6, 15-17, 11-4.Girls’ U19: Akanksha Salunkhe (GA) bt 2-Aishwarya Bhattacharya (MH) 10-12, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6.Boys’ U19: Ranjit Singh (UP) bt Krish Kapur (WB) 13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4.

All the winners with their trophies!
Prize-money awards:

Girls’ U11 Winner - Yuvna Gupta (Rs 7,000), Runner-up - Pooja Arthi R. (Rs 3,300).

Boys’ U11 Winner - Jaivir Singh Dhillon (Rs 10,000), Runner-up - Vivaan Shah (Rs 5,500).

Girls’ U13 Winner - Ananya Dabke (Rs 7,000), Runner-up - Megha Bhatia (Rs 3,850).

Boys’ U13 Winner - Neel Joshi (Rs 12,000), Runner-up - Kanhav Nanavati (Rs 6,600).

Girls’ U15 Winner - Navmi Sharma (Rs 20,000), Runner-up - Jannia Singh (Rs 11,000).

Boys’ U15 Winner - Veer Chotrani (Rs 25,000), Runner-up - Rahul Baitha (Rs 13,750).

Girls’ U17 Winner - Nikita Joshi (Rs 30,000), Runner-up - Diya Joukani (Rs 16,500).

Boys’ U17 Winner - Robin Singh Mann (Rs 40,000), Runner-up - Aryaman Adik (Rs 22,000).

Girls’ U19 Winner - Akanksha Salunkhe (Rs 30,000), Runner-up - Aishwarya Bhattacharya (RS 16,500)

Boys’ U19 Winner - Ranjit Singh (Rs 60,000), Runner-up - Krish Kapur (Rs 33,000).

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