Malaysian girls claimed three titles with Aira Azman, Sehveetrraa Kumar and Anrie Goh all emerging champions by winning the under-15, under-13 and under-11 crowns, respectively, in the 9th Indian Junior Open Squash tournament that concluded in Mumbai on Wednesday.
All three Malaysian players triumphed after getting the better of their Indian opponents in the respective finals.
Unseeded Aira shocked top-seeded Indian Ananya Dabke in three games in the under-15 final. The Malaysian girl, seeded in the 9-16 bracket, was in impressive form and, after a bit of struggle early on, was in complete control.
She hit some brilliant winners to unsettle her Indian opponent, who was unable to come back after losing the opening game over extra points. Aira won the next two games in convincing fashion to complete a deserving 13-11, 11-3, 11-5 victory at the Bombay Gymkhana’s glass-back courts.
Aira’s compatriot Sehveetrraa, the top seed in the girls’ under-13 event, was also in dominant mood and quelled the challenge from India’s second seed Yuvna Gupta to coast to a comfortable 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 win.
Anrie, the top seed in the girls’ under-11 competition, brushed aside a determined fight from India’s Diya Yadav, the joint 3-4 seed in four tense and tough games to help Malaysia win their first title of the day.
Indian boys shine
In boys’ section, India’s Kanhav Nanavati continued with his giant-killing run as he overcame top seed Tanay Punjabi also from India in a five-game under-15 final.
Kanhav, showing tremendous fighting qualities and plenty of resilience, managed to prevail over Punjabi by snatching a 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9 win.
Top seed Rohan Arya Gondi (USA) won the boys’ under-11 title defeating second seed Abdul Fahmi Bin Abd Basir (Malaysia) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 in the final.
In the boys’ under-13 final, which was an all-India affair, Jaivir Singh Dhillon scored a shock 11-6, 11-9, 2-11, 11-8 win over top seed Yuvraj Wadhwani.
Kanhav and Aira, the boys and girls’ under-15 winners, went home richer by Rs 19,200 each.