Chennai, September 09: India’s unseeded Naresh Kumar put up a brave fight before going down to top seeded Dylan Bennett of the Netherlands in the main draw of the PSA Indian Challenger-3 at the Indian Squash Academy here Wednesday evening.
Hong Kong’s Leo Au displayed variety in his game to eliminate third-seeded James Snell of England at 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in a marathon 70-minute of duel.
Meanwhile, India’s Siddarth Suchde (fourth seed), accounted for compatriot Vikas Jangra 11-0, 11-5, 11-8 in just 21 minutes while unseeded Harinder Pal Singh overcame Gaurav Nandrajob 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 in another all-India match.
Suchde will play sixth seed Aqueel Rahman of Austria who disposed off Sandeep Jangra 11-9, 11-6, 13-15, 11-9 while Harinder takes on second-seeded Mazan Gamal of Egypt who knocked out Japanese Maekswa Kosuke (JPN) 11-0, 11-5, 11-0 in only 20 minutes.
The Naresh Kumar-Bennett match turned out to be most interesting as the Indian failed to achieve a career-best win after playing his heart out. Bennett got the better of Naresh Kumar 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7.
In the WISPA Indian Challenger-1 tournament held concurrently, India’s unseeded direct entrant, Harita Om Prakash defeated compatriot and eighth seeded Ankita Sharma 14-12, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4 in 35 minutes.
In the other two ties, fifth seed Anwesha Reddy scored over Shria Khatri, also of India 11-4, 11-9, 11-3 and will take on third-seeded Carmen Lee from Hong Kong while Aparjitha Balamurukan, seeded seventh, claimed a walk over from injured Saumya Karki (Ind). Aparjitha plays Russia’s top seed Irina Assal.
Harita has a tough task ahead against fourth-seedED Surbhi Misra, while Indian Anaka Alankamony will vie against second seeded Pushpa Devi of Malaysia. Both these players had a bye in to first round.
The results (1st round):
PSA: Dylan Bennett (Ned, 1) bt Naresh Kumar (Ind) 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (45 min), Ahmed Hawas (Egy, 5) bt Naveen Jangra (Ind) 13-11, 11-0, 11-7 (24 min); Siddarth Suchde (Ind, 4) bt Vikas Jangra (Ind) 11-0, 11-5, 11-8 (21 min); Aqueel Rahman (Aus, 6) bt Sandeep Jangra (Ind) 11-9, 11-6, 13-15, 11-9 (56 min); Anson Kwong (Hkg, 7) bt Ravi Dixit (Ind) 11-5, 11-9, 22-8 (30 min); Leo Au (Hkg) bt James Snell (Eng, 3) 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10 (70 min); Harinder Pal Singh (Ind) bt Gaurav Nandrajob (Ind) 12-10, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 (54 min); Mazan Gamal (Egy, 2) bt Maekswa Kosuke (Jpn) 11-0, 11-5, 11-0 (20 min).
WISPA: Anwesha Reddy (Ind, 5) bt Shria Khatri (Ind) 11-4, 11-9, 11-3 (19 min); Harita Om Prakash (Ind) bt Ankita Sharma (Ind, 8) 14-12, 11-8, 5-11, 11-4 (35 min); Aparjitha Balamurukan (Ind, 7) W/o Saumya Karki (Ind).
—Agencies