HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour: Joachim Chuah of Malaysia and Rouqaia Othman of Egypt, the top seeds in the men’s and women’s sections respectively, emerged champions in the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai at the Indian Squash Academy on Wednesday.Chuah defeated Egypt’s Adham Roshdy in straight games 12-10, 11-7, 11-8 in the men’s final that lasted 39 minutes, while Rouqaia edged out South Korean sixth seed Hwayeong Eum in a thriller 11-6, 10-12, 19-21, 11-7, 11-8 in 44 minutes for the title.
Earlier, Rouqaia Othman reached the final by beating India’s Sanya Vats in the last-four stage. The top seed defeated the Indian star 11-4, 11-2, 11-5.
Overall, the event did not bring much success for Indian players as Sanya Vats was the only Indian to progress past the quarterfinal stage. Fourth seed Sanya had reached this stage after beating eighth seed compatriot Unnati Tripathi in four games in the women’s quarterfinals.
Earlier, second seed Indian Suraj Chand rallied to beat Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 in the men’s pre-quarterfinals of the event being played at the Indian Squash Academy on Sunday. But he went down in the next stage.
Men’s seventh seed Om Semwal and women’s third seed Rathika Seelan, eighth seed Unnati Tripathi, and Pooja Arthi Raghu were the other Indians to advance to the quarterfinals.
Ananya Narayanan beat Janet Vidhi in four games in the women’s first round of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai at the Indian Squash Academy in the southern Indian metropolis on Saturday. But all of them except Sayna failed to progress past the last-eight stage.
A few days back, India’s Tanvi Khanna went from flat to fizzy after losing two games in quick time and turned the tables against Egypt’s Farida Walid to earn a creditable victory in the women’s final of the HCL-SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club in Mumbai.
The 3rd-seeded Tanvi prevailed 8-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 over her 2nd-seeded rival in a match that lasted 45 minutes, also avenging her 2-3 loss in January this year.
The men’s title was won by M. Syafiq Kamal, who defeated (2) Yassin Shohdy (Egypt) 3-2 (6-11, 9-11,11-8,14-12,11-8).
The event in Mumbai and that in Chennai were the two back-to-back events on the Challenger circuit of the PSA Tour conducted in India.
Results (final):
Rouqaia Othman (EGY) bt. Hwayeong Eum (KOR) 3-2: 11-6, 10-12, 19-21, 11-7, 11-8
Article Source: IANS
