Pradhan, Agarwal to clash for squash title

Mumbai, June 4 

Top seed Abhishek Pradhan Tuesday stormed into the men's singles final of the 4th NSCI All India Open (Junior and Senior) Squash Tournament here.

Pradhan, representing Maharashtra, overcame the challenge of teenager Rahul Baitha in the first semi-final in three straight sets — 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 — to book a place in the final, to be played at the NSCI squash courts Wednesday.

Pradhan will now face compatriot and second seed Abhishek Agarwal in the final after the latter prevailed over Naveen Jangra of Services 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-8 in the second semi-final.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Urwashi Joshi, the top seed, crashed out, losing to unseeded Aishwarya Khubchandani, also from Maharashtra, in a long-drawn five games in a womens semi -final match. Khubchandani produced a strong challenge and managed to come out trumps, pulling off a 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5 and 11-8 victory to secure a place in the final. However, second seed Sachika Balvani of Maharashtra strolled into the final by recording an easy win against the third-fourth seed Sanika Choudhari 11-5, 11-8, 11-6. In the boys' U-15 category, Paarth Ambani of Maharashtra was leading Sharan Punjabi 11-1 11-5 (3-0) against Sharan Punjabi when he conceded the match. In the second semifinal, another Maharashtra lad Rutva Samant defeated Vivaan Shah 11-4 3-11 11-7 8-11 12-10. Navmi Sharma defeated Sparshi Mattas 11-3 8-11 11-8 11-2 in the girls' U-18 semifinals, while Bhavna Goyal blanked Rathika Suthanthira Seelan 12-10 11-7  11-2.In the boys' U-19 semis, Tushar Shahani easily defeated Saksham Choudhary 11-9 11-4 11-6 and Yash Fadte outplayed Rahul Baitha 11-4 7-11 11-5 11-4. — PTI 

Results (semis)

Girls’ U-17: Ananya Dabke bt Tanishka Jain 11-6 11-4 11-1, Aishwarya Khubchandani bt Anannya Morey 11-8 7-11 11-7 11-7

Girls’ U-19: Navmi Sharma bt Sparshi Mattas 11-3 8-11 11-8 11-2, Bhavna Goyal bt 

Rathika Suthanthira Seelan 12-10 11-7  11-2

Boys’ U-15: Paarth Ambani bt Sharan Punjabi 11-1 11-5 3-0 (retd), Rutva Samant bt  Vivaan Shah 11-4 3-11 11-7 8-11 12-10

Boys’ U-17: Arnaav Sareen bt Arman Darukhanawalla 11-5 11-1 11-5, Tanay Punjabi bt Akhilesh Kumar 11-4 11-9 11-7

Boys’ U-19: : Tushar Shahani bt Saksham Choudhary 11-9 11-4 11-6, Yash Fadte bt Rahul Baitha 11-4 7-11 11-5 11-4

Women:  Aishwarya Khubchandani bt Urwashi Joshi 11-8 9-11 9-11 11-5 11-8, Sachika Balvani bt  Sanika Choudhari 11-5 11-8 11-6

Men:  Abhishek Pradhan bt 3Rahul Baitha 11-8 11-7 11-4, Abhishek Agarwal bt Naveen Jangra 11-8 7-11 11-5 11-8