SRFI Indian Tour Squash Championship: Veer in men’s final; Akanksha, Anahat to face off in women’s summit clash
SRFI Indian Tour Squash Championship: Veer in men’s final; Akanksha, Anahat to face off in women’s summit clash
On a day of sub-30 minute semifinals and straight-game wins, three Indians – Akanksha Salunkhe, Anahat Singh, and Veer Chotrani – made it to the finals of the SRFI Indian Tour Squash Championship at the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy (ISTA) in Chennai on Thursday.
Like at the Western India Open in Mumbai in December, top seed Akanksha and the 17-year-old Anahat will face off in the women’s final on Friday. Chotrani will take on Frenchman Melvil Scianimanico in the men’s final.
After Akanksha ousted Joshna Chinappa 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 in 25 minutes, Anahat disposed of South African Hayley Ward 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 in the shortest match (17 min) of the tournament so far.
A striking aspect of Anahat’s game is her exploitation of the sidewalls to good effect. She won two points by bouncing off strokes off the sidewall in the second game, and one point by spectacularly getting her sidewall stroke to low ball cross-court off the front wall in the third game.
Playing Sri Lankan Ravindu Laksiri in the last match of the day, Chotrani had to play catch-up only in the third game.
Down 0-5, he rallied to win six of the following seven points to make it 6-all. Though Chotrani edged ahead 7-6 and 8-7 from there, Laksiri drew level on both occasions, making it 7-all and 8-all. As Chotrani hit the tin then, Laksiri went up 9-8. But with a drop to the right corner, Chotrani pulled it back to 9-all.
When Laksiri was up 10-9 again, Chotrani was awarded a stroke (10-all) for him to secure two successive points and a final berth from there.
