PROSQUASH
Vol 10 No. 1 Issue No.37 January 2006
Directors : Mahendra Agarwal / Narendra Gour (I.R.S.) / Navneet Soni (I.R.S.) / Shiv Kumar Dhanuka Honorary Members : Bharat Bhushan (I.R.S.) / Saifee Jani / Rakesh Lakhanpal / Ashish Gupta / Vicky Kalludi / Sanjay Goyal / Ashok Nagpal Patrons: Vivek Nair (VC & M.D.The Leela) / Sajjan Jindal (Chairman & M.D. Jisco) / Eric Dastur (Chairman, K.M. Dastur Reinsurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd.) Advisors : Pradeep K. Vijayakar/ Shiv Malhotra / Swikriti Sharma P. R. O : Noreena / Global Ambassador / Anisha Sawhney Technical Director : Amitoj Inder Singh Chief Co-ordinator : Riaz Mohammed
KHAR
GYMKHANA ISP MUMBAI OPEN SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP
{OPEN DOUBLES & HANDICAP DOUBLES}
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Niraj
Shirgaokar and Vikram Malhotra emerged champions in the Top-8 section of
the Khar Gymkhana-ISP Mumbai open Squash Championship sponsored by Ashwini
Jewelers, at the Khar Gymkhana squash courts. They beat Manish Chotrani
and his partner Dheeraj
Nagpal in four sets. It
was a blend of youth and experience in both teams,but surprisingly the
older halves of each team did most of the running . Former National
Champion Manish Chotrani and Dheeraj Nagpal, the top seeds ended up on the
losing side against Niraj Shirgaokar and Vikram Malhotra in the top
eight doubles final of the Khar Gymkhana –ISP
Mumbai open Squash Championships, sponsored by Ashwini Jewelers, at
the Khar Gymkhana squash courts. Having played their semi –final matches
earliers in the day , stamina was the crucial aspect in the final. The
younger partners were expected to do more of the running.but while
Malhotra obliged, running down each ball and allowing Shirgaokar to hit
the winners, Nagpal
was a bit sluggish and though Chotrani tried hard, it was just not enough
for victory. Shirgaokar and Malhotra prevailed 15-11, 8-15, 15-12, 15-11
to take home winner’s purse of Rs.10,000, while the runner–up team had
to be content with Rs.8,000. |
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At the prize distribution function: Vicky Kalludi (Sponsor), Sonu Mirani (Winner, Handicap doubles), Chief Guest Bipin Bihari (Additional Commissioner of Police, Mumbai), Noreena (Vice-President, ISP), Sanjay Goyal (Secy Gen., ISP), Mahendra Agarwal (Director, ISP), Shashi Gupta (Winner, Handicap doubles) & Ashish Gupta (President, ISP) |
In
the semi – finals, the combination of Malhotra’s youth and speed and
Shirgaokar ‘s experience titled the scales in their favour against
Sachin Jadhav and Avinash Bhatija. However, the fancied duo of Dheeraj
Nagpal and former National champion Manish Chotrani were made to struggle
hard for every point and were pushed to the wire by touch-player Sanjay
Goyal and the hard working Rohan Gracious.
Both
the games were decided on the last point, thanks to Chotrani’s
sublime skills that emerged when the chips were down. Chotrani and
Nagpal finally prevailed 17-16, 17-16 in the needle contest that lasted
for more than an hour.
The
handicap doubles final featured Bipin Batra and Avinash Bhatija against
the pair of Shashi Gupta and Sonu Mirani, the latter pair prevailing
15-12, 12-15, 15-12.
Thanks
to the fair handicapping, the finals and both the semi –finals were
close fought affairs and went to three games.
At a grand Victory ceremony, chief guest Mr. Bippin Bihari (Additional commissioner of police, Mumbai ) honoured the winners.
Finals:
Top 8 doubles: Niraj Shirgaokar & Vikram Malhotra bt Manish
Chotrani & Dheerah Nagpal 15-11, 8-15, 15-12, 15-11.
Handicap doubles: Shashi Gupta & Sonu Mirani bt Bipin Batra &
Avinash Bhatija 15-12, 12-15, 15-12.
Semi-finals:
Top 8 doubles: Niraj Shirgaokar & Vikram Malhotra bt Sachin Jadhav
& Avinash Bhatija 15-12, 15-12;
Dheeraj Nagpal & Manish Chotrani bt Sanjay Goyal & Rohan Gracious
17-16, 17-16.
Handicap doubles:
Bipin Batra & Avinash Bhatija bt Ashish Gupta & Ashok Nagpal
15-13, 11-15, 15-13;
Shashi Gupta & Sonu Mirani bt Vijay Waghela & Ritesh Bajaj 12-15,
15-13, 15-7.