Press Reports & Indian News (2004)

  

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Farhan is the big threat at Worlds : Ghoshal
 Pradeep Vijayakar : Times of India
 
Mumbai : Saurav Ghoshal, the big hope of Indian Squash, has been luckier than cricketers Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel. Unlike them, he was able to appear for his Std XII exams this year despite playing the British Open Juniors, which he won and the SAF Games. Having got the exams out of thw way, Ghoshal is now targeting the World Junior title at Islamabad in August.

Seventeen - year - old Ghoshal, ranked 139 in the world, is here to play the Indian Oil Otters Club Open. He says the pleasure in winning the Drysdale Cup (Open Juniors) in January was greater because parents told him that they saw hope for their kids too.

Excerpts from an interview :

Has your win given an impetus to the sport here?

I don't know. But Whenever I meet the parents they congratulate me saying that 'you have shown that Indian kids can do it'. That feels great. It was inspiring to read the roll of honor on the Drysdale Cup - in 2000 Kareem Darwesh (now No.6 in world rankings), in 2001 Gregory Gaultier (now No.11), in 2002 James Willstrop (No.13) and in 2003 Safeerullah Khan (No.71). It felt ecstatic to be in the same league in 2004

How is your preparation for the World Juniors?
On advice of coaches Maj Maniam and Cyrus Poncha, I have decided to train for the Worlds rather than play the Satellitecircuit. I was studying for my boards after the British Juniors and SAF Games and am playing a tournament for the first time at the Otters.

Will be the field at the World's be the same as the British event?
May be lesser with sum players now older than 19. But must be wary of the Pakistanis who play 150 per sec better at home. Farhan Mehboob is the threat though he lost in the final of the U-17 at the British Juniors. Farhan's game is similar to mine except he is a lefthander.

What aspects of the game are you fine-tuning?
My fitness is okay, I am trying to play the slow game better, and when the ball is loose finishing the ball in that shot itself not giving the opponent chance to get it back, also working on the drop and volley-drop especially the straight one.

Any plans for training in Pakistan?
I dont think they would allow. I dont think I would get a viza. Still it is a good idea if it can happen. Otherwise i am happy at Chennai. If at all I move out it will be because there are not enough good sparing partners.

Are you thinking about the world crown?
It has to happen when I am around 23-24. I hope I can crack the top hundred at the end of year and in four years make it to the top 20. I need sponsors.
  

Chainani squash camp concludes
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent
    May 20, 2004

The month-long Raju Chainani squash camp conducted by the Squash Racquets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM) and Indian Squash Professionals (ISP) concluded at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana yesterday.

The camp that was held for the age group 8-16 years saw more than 60 boys and girls learning the basics from ISP coaches Kishore Bhamania, Sanjay Pawar, Sachin Jadhav, Anil Mohite and Aadesh Ghamre.

Bhamania was impressed with the turn-out and the promise shown by the youngsters.

“Getting 60 boys and girls was very pleasing. It means youngsters are interested in playing squash. They have also learned the basics very quickly,” he said.

Many of them have talent but are not members of any clubs. If they can get a membership to a club or make it a habit to play at the Andheri Sports Complex, where courts are available on hire, they can be good players,” Bhamania added.

Aniket Mohite had his first test of the game and enjoyed his time on the court. “ I really liked playing squash. I would like to play it whenever I get the chance,” the nine-year-old said.

Apart from beginners, the camp also had several players who were taking up the sport after a break.

Veronna Parikh won an inter-club tournament two years ago but shifted to America later. Back in the country, the Bombay Scottish (Mahim) student is hoping to make a comeback.

“I was playing after a long gap. The camp was very useful for me. I am looking forward to playing squash regularly and this is the first step,” the 12-year-old said.

SRAM member Sanjay Goel, who was present at the prize distribution ceremony, said he was pleased with the turn-out and hoped that several such camps would be held at the gymkhana in the future.
 

They’re no longer ‘markers’ but ‘professionals’. 
This duo helped the city’s squash trainers to reclaim their game.
- By Nitin Nair, (Indian Express-12/04/2004)

THEY take you through your first steps and patiently see you get a grip on the nuances of the game. 

But it was only a decade ago that ‘markers’ sparring partners in squash, received their first real rush- recognition for the sweat and toil behind the champions of the game. 

Recalls builder Mahendra Agarwal, who practiced at a health club with Chandrakant Pawar, nine-time ‘professionals’ (markers are now known ‘professionals’) National champion: “For five years, Pawar had been telling me that a tournament needed to be organised for professionals alone. I finally agreed and a couple of my friends came forward to sponsor the tourney.”

Thus, in 1993, the first ever squash tourney for professionals was conducted at Otter’s Club, Bandra, which incidentally Pawar himself won. Thrilled by the response, Agarwal and Pawar decided that professionals, who hail from humble backgrounds, needed an organization of their own.  So they started Indian Squash Professionals (ISP).

“Former National champion Raj Manchanda had once impressed upon me the idea of getting together the markers, who work in various clubs around Mumbai,” says the soft-spoken Pawar.

 

In the 11 years since, the ISP has organised 53 tournaments—and has given professionals a sense of belonging. Apart from annual get-togethers, Agarwal also ensures that they out of Mumbai to participate in national tourneys.

In its nurturing role, the ISP decided to ‘adopt’ Arif Paul, a talented teenager from a middle class family with loads of potential, in 1996.  Paul went on to win the U-19 Nationals.  He also received a squash scholarship with Denison College, Ohio, and now works with a banking firm in Scotland. Anvekar, also went on to become an U-19 National champion.
  

Clinic on New Methods of Physical & Mental Training by
Mr. Abdul Shaikh (Squash Coach from Canada)

Day : 17th April 2004
Time : 10am to 5.30 pm
Venue : Conference Hall, Khar Gymkhana

Mr. Abdul Shaikh, Senior Sports Conductor from Canada is on a visit and shall be conducting a clinic on the modern methods of Physical and Mental training.

The Physical training would consist of :
Introduction, Periodization: Pre-Season, In Season, Post Season. Flexibility - warm-up, cool down. Energy system/ resistance/ plyometric/ sprint/ skipping / medicine ball training -Swiss ball stability core conditioning/ab workout

The Mental Training would consist of :
Introduction, What you see if what you get! Relaxation, Positive self-talk, Activation, Visualization, Concentration, Body Language Control.  Quick quiz by participants. Key learning concepts, learning laws, Holistic approach - elements and framework, Game-based approach - technique and conclusion.

The said clinic would be in two parts pre lunch (10am to 1pm) and post lunch (2pm to 5.30 pm). Coaches, players, professionals & parents are requested to avail this opportunity to update themselves on this modern methods of training as used by Squash Canada.

The fees for the clinic is Rs.500 only and would include lunch, tea, coffee & light refreshments. To register your names contact Vidhya / Sharmili on 28523433 / 28525568 between 11am to 6 pm.

 

Mumbai squash never had it so good
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent (11/04/2004)

Charity and good work begins at home, is an adage that is being taken literally by members of Mumbai’s squash fraternity and their benevolence has benefited the game tremendously. Squash has never had it so good.

The example set by the Indian Squash Professionals (ISP), whose efforts have seen the sporting body earn the distinction of becoming the only NGO to have organised 50 tournaments, seems to have rubbed off on other individuals, who have provided their unstinting support to promote squash.

The latest in the list of benefactors is a group of individuals who pooled in their resources to finance the recently concluded Tulip Star-ISP squash tournament at the Hotel Tulip Star. All members of the Tulip Star Health Club who play doubles squash contributed Rs 10,000 each to make this 53rd ISP event possible.

The tournament, received more than 48 entries in the doubles and had players from Chembur Gymkhana, Mandpeshwar Club, Dahisar, Goregaon Sports Club, Matunga Gymkhana, CCI, Bombay Gymkhana and Country Club participating, some clubs that would never have featured in a squash event even as recently as five years back.

That the game has spread to the entire city is an understatement. Much of the credit should go to people like Vicky Kalludi, Mukesh Desai, Ganesh Jain, Vivek Abrol, Salim Mistry, Ayub Ghori, Sunil Goel, Bunty Singh, Aslam Lashkaria, who came together to make the event possible.

Of the above nine names, Kalludi has sponsored two squash tournaments and will sponsor one more in June 2004. Desai and 52-year-old Mistry were the winners at the Juhu Centaur-ISP squash in May 2002 and felt the need to make some financial contribution in order to keep the event going.

Going by the current trend, the future of squash seems to be in healthy hands as all the above have one common aim: to make squash more popular.
 

Bhattacharya goes the whole nine yards
   By Mid Day Correspondent
   March 6, 2004

   The news came as a surprise, albeit, a pleasant one that has made his short stay in Mumbai more memorable. But more importantly, it was squash’s big break when 9 Yards, the sports and entertainment company, added India No. 1 and world no. 67 Ritwik Bhattacharya to its list of celebrities.

Bhattacharya joins 9 Yards’ high profile list of icons that includes tennis ace Leander Paes, India football captain Baichung Bhutia, Ricky Ponting and film actress Manisha Koirala, apart from sports commentator Charu Sharma and young go-karting ace Sahil Shelar.

Bhattacharya, who is training for the SAF Games, believes squash is looking better than it ever did in India. He is impressed with the junior camps, a plethora of tournaments, a substantial increase in prize money and the number of young players who have turned professional and have broken into the elite group on the international circuit.

“Squash was always one of the sports that 9 Yards Sports and Entertainment had in mind while making its business plan.

Today, hotels, schools, clubs and public sports utilities all have squash courts,” said 9 Yards CEO, Navneet Sharma.

With 9 Yards managing the London-based Bhattacharya, the next two years will be very crucial for the Indian champion, as he sets his sights to move higher up the world rankings.

“Frankly, there is no short cut. Just hard work,” he said.

 

Squash champ on net gains of playing across the border
By The Indian Express Correspondent
4th March 2004

 Pak, a profitable place!

APPREHENSION has been the operative word used in the context of India’s cricket tour to Pakistan this month.  Hence the arched eyebrows are justified when India’s best squash player Ritwik Bhattacharya tells you that for him Pakistan is a welcome venue.

The National champion was in Islamabad two weeks ago to play in the Chief of Army Staff world ranking tourney.  His seventh trip to Pakistan was not exactly one to remember achievements-wise – he lost in the qualifying rounds – but Ritwik is upbeat about going back to Pakistan again. “The conditions suit me.  Once you make the adjustment in movement (the ball bounces a lot more in hotter environs), you are fine,” says the Chingford, London-based player.

“Playing a Pakistani in Pakistan is not easy for outsiders – they are very instinctive when they play at home.  Then there is the crowd factor.  It’s like playing the Punjab hockey team in Punjab,” he says.  Ritwik is in the city with the British coach Neil Harvey who is conducting a week-long coaching clinic on invitation from the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

Given Pakistan’s rich history with squash and the regularity with which it conducts Professional Squash players Association (PSA) tournaments as opposed to India, it offers Ritwik an ideal destination to improve his world ranking which is currently 64. Ritwik, who was ranked in the 90s till May last year climbed the ranking after winning two PSA tournaments in New Zealand in October.  It also helps that a lot of overseas players prefer to skip tournaments in Pakistan making the competition less stiff. “It is a lot easier for me to play tournaments in Pakistan since it is cheaper than playing tournaments in Europe.  I can also visit my parents (New Delhi) when I am in the sub-continent,” he says.

Ritwik admits that he was a wee bit apprehensive about playing for the first time in Pakistan during world ranking tournaments in Islamabad and Peshawar. “Once I reached there I was okay,” says Ritwik. “I found the people more respectful.  Once a cab driver who knew I was Indian asked me if Aamir Khan and Salman Khan play squash.”

Ritwik will now lead the Indian squash challenge at the SAF Games in Islamabad later this month. “We should hopefully finish with a couple of medals,” he says. Pakistan will field their full-strength squad spearheadedby Mansoor Zaman, who is currently in the World top-20.  Ritwik hopes to go back later in April-May to Participate in a few PSA tournaments.
 

Harvey praises squash juniors
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent
    February 29, 2004  

Saturday was rather special for Neil Harvey, one of squash’s elite coaches, who is conducting a 10-day clinic for juniors and coaches at the Cricket Club of India. Harvey, a former England No. 1, had significant reasons for making that declaration.

“I am overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the players and the coaches and I’m excited by what I’ve seen. The CCI already has a splendid programme for the juniors and I’m motivated to take it forward. But today was very special, because it was practical. The young players learned to hit the ball higher and were pleasantly surprised to realise that it yielded fantastic results,” revealed Harvey, at the CCI’s on Saturday.

“Neil is a world class coach. He’s got a unique style of coaching and the youngsters are enjoying every moment. But most impressive is the rapport he shares with them,” said Raj Arora, the man responsible for getting Harvey to the CCI.

“The training is simply amazing,” said Manek Mathur, India’s No 2 player in the under-17 category. “I have corrected my game and it’s making a world of a difference. The sessions are intensive my game can only improve from here.”
   

Neil Harvey to give squash lessons
   By: Don Monteiro
    February 28, 2004

Weather-wise and otherwise, he arrived in Mumbai to a traditional warm welcome and it’s one of squash’s world class coaches Neil Harvey’s desires to return again and again and…

It’s been an impressive two days already at the Cricket Club of India, where Harvey is training coaches and juniors at a clinic that will extend until next Thursday.

He’s been around the world including Princeton (USA) and Malaysia on similar trips but he promises this will be one of his most memorable.

“I am delighted and impressed to see these children have good talent, enthusiasm and more importantly good ethics. I believe their racquet skills are far better than most English children their age.

The CCI has fantastic facilities including a good environment,” says the elite coach, an Englishman, and a cricket fan, who also shares his name with one of Australia’s well-known cricketers.

Harvey’s trip to India seemed to happen out of the blue. It was probably guided by destiny when one of the CCI’s key squash committee members Raj Arora met him in England where India number 1 Ritwik Bhattacharya was training with him.

“Ritwik trains with me in Chingford, London, and they suggested I come over and conduct a clinic. A programme for the juniors already exists but I thought it’s best to come here and monitor it myself with Ritwik.

“There’s nothing better than these children training and looking up to their No 1 player,” Harvey reasons.

He implies that half the battle is won since “they are motivated, light-footed, mentally strong and dedicated”.

But Harvey also warns that he’s only touched the surface. “The dream is to start somewhere and I’m sure they all want to be the next Peter Nicol,” he declares.

Harvey, who represented England, began his coaching career in Chingford in 1991, before helping Scotland’s Nicol become Britain’s first-ever world No 1 and world champion.

While in Mumbai, Harvey hopes to speed up the junior programme at the CCI where, he says, they need to know the geography of the court. “They all prefer the front of the court, rather than the back,” he observes. “But I’m sure they will learn. They are responding well.”

Apart from training the juniors, Harvey also is helping the coaches, who he believes are as good as any other but need his expertise to fill in a particular void.

Harvey believes that seeing an Indian amongst the top 30 in the world is quite realistic.

“Why not,” he retorts. “Ritwik can be amongst them. It’s possible. India is getting there. You need to have more tournaments and good city programmes (like the CCI’s) that need to be open to other children.”
  

Ankita gets past the five-figure mark
By: A Sports Correspondent
February 13, 2004

Losing to the same opponent in the finals of five tournaments and living with the knowledge that the same player would be a constant rival, both being in the same age group, could have been a discouraging prospect for most sportspersons. More so at the not-so-mature age of 10.

But Ankita Sharma proved otherwise. Biding her time and training even harder after each defeat, she finally gained revenge when she upset the under-11 National champion and top seed Sachika Balwani to lift the title in the recently concluded Hero Honda-Khar Gym-ISP Golden Jubilee Squash Championships.

The standard fifth student of Arya Vidya Mandir, Juhu, had lost to Sachika in the last five meetings and came up with an inspired show to beat the favourite 3-1 in this tournament. Ankita had earlier given glimpses of her prowess when winning the sub-junior/junior titles in the Natalia-SRFI grand final.

The daughter of Inspector Pradeep Sharma and state-level volleyball player Swikriti Sharma, Ankita started playing squash when she was eight, training under Chandrakant Pawar at The Leela. Initially, it was just another sport to add to skating and swimming but her healthy rivalry with Sachika seemed to have fired up the well-built pre-teen, who began training seriously, gaining further coaching from Sunil Verma at the Jindal training centre in Vashind.

Having also gained from her stint in Malaysia under K H Ong, thanks to the initiative of the Mid-Day Petra Foundation coaching programme, Ankita seems well on her way to squash glory and, hopefully, her on-court battles with Sachika will light up the squash scene on the distaff side, which, for many years, has seen dominance by single players.
  

ISP appeals to abolish Tax

Mid-day : 21/2/04

Indian Squash Professionals (ISP), a non profit organization engaged in promoting squash out of its own finances, has decided to draw the decision – makers attention to Tax Deducted at source (TDS) for prize money awarded to Indian sportspersons.

According to founder, Mahendra Agarwal the ISP’s appeal to abolish the existing 30 per cent tax on prize money to help Indian sporting achievers has evoked a positive response from the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Vijay Goel, who has drawn the attention of the Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh. 

Sanjay Nirupam, Rajya Sabha MP, has also requested the Finance Minister to abolish the tax on winnings, or atleast raise the exemption limit to a reasonable level, following the ISP request.
  

2004 SAF Games, Islamabad, Pakistan
Feb 2004

Men's Final:
Mansoor Zaman bt Shahid Zaman  3-9, 9-6, 0-9, 9-4, 10-9

Women's Final:
Joshna Chinappa (Ind) bt Mikhala Subedar (Ind)  9-4, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1

INDIA & PAKISTAN SHARE SAF SQUASH GOLD

In a final that went the distance, Mansoor Zaman had to draw in all his energies to overcome the challenge of Shahid Zaman to snatch gold in an all-Pakistan squash final of the 9th SAF Games.

As the scoreline suggests, the match was a real cracker as the two players fought tooth and nail for almost 80 minutes before Mansoor could complete victory at the Roshan Khan Complex.

So tight was the match that Mansoor fought back after being 3-8 to level the scores at 8-8 before Shahid came at par. However, from there onwards, Mansoor zoomed ahead to seal the match much to the relief of his father Qamar Zaman,
who is also the Pakistan manager.

In the women's final featuring Indian players, Joshana Chinappa defeated Mikhala Subedar 9-4, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1 in another exciting match.

Joshana, who had won the Asian Junior championship at the same venue was always the favourite to clinch gold and she lived up to that pre-tournament billing. 
  

Fifty, and still going strong
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent
    January 21, 2004

One could see a contended smile on Mahendra Agarwal’s face. The founder director of the Indian Squash Professional (ISP), yesterday, took the opportunity to announce the Hero Honda-Khar Gymkhana ISP Golden Jubilee Squash.

One would wonder about the smile and satisfaction that Agarwal was wearing. Well, it had to be. ISP, a non-governmental organization will be conducting its 50th tournament since its inception in 1993.

‘‘It may not sound as good as it can be felt. For ISP it is a big moment,’’ said an excited Agarwal, whose ISP acclaimed appreciation right from prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to his deputy Lal Krishna Advani.

With as many as three to four tournament held every year before 1993, today, with the help of ISP the sport enjoys at least one tournament per month. In the last couple of years the number must have crossed over 12.

The number game does not end here. The rise in tournament has certainly helped to increase participation. ‘‘We hardly received 50-60 entries when we first started organising the tournament. I can proud claim that the tournament today attracts over 200 participants,’’ stated the proud founder.
ISP’s growth has not only been in terms of participation but also in terms of prize money.

In the first tournament — conducted only for professionals — the winner went home with a haul of Rs 4000. The total prize money involved was Rs 30,000.

In 1997, the individual winner in the Videocon  Classic Squash tournament was given Rs 25,000 out of a total of Rs 4 lakh.

The record for the highest individual prize money was broken last year in the Herald Maritime Services tournament when the men’s champions got richer by Rs 75,000.

The Hero Honda-Khar Gymkhana tourney has once again attracted top players. Though the prize money may not be as attractive as one might have hoped, ISP insists that the tourney’s surely close to their heart.

The Hero Honda tournament will be held between January 25 and February 1.

  

Kudos ISP, Agarwal
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent
    January 22, 2004  

The Squash Racquets Association of Maharashtra (SRAM) has commended Mahendra Agarwal for his untiring efforts in the promotion of  squash.

Agarwal is the Founder-Director Indian Squash Professionals (ISP) which will celebrate its Golden Jubilee tournament at the Khar Gymkhana next week.

“Mahendra’s achievement is mind-boggling, when you consider the problems and hard work involved in weaning our sports sponsors away from their love affair with the game of cricket.” said SRAM president Khalid Ansari in a message.

In keeping with the cricket fever which has gripped the nation, Ansari made a cricket-related comparison to Agarwal’s half century feat. “It is said that although Sunil Gavaskar had an insatiable appetite for runs, he did not bother overly about keeping an eye on the score-board when at the crease. Garnering runs was his magnificent obsession.

“Similarly, despite his all-consuming passion for the game — which has found expression through a red hot zeal to set up new squash courts, organise new and more and more tournaments — the indefatigable Mahendra has seldom cared to keep count of his achievements.”

Roping in sponsors for non-cricket sports is an uphill task for most sports promoters but Agarwal, according to Ansari put the onus on himself.

“He (Agarwal) has also taken short cuts by putting his hands in his own (oversized) pockets to make funds available, whenever they have not been forthcoming,” the SRAM president said.

Apart from organising squash tournaments and coaching camps, Agarwal’s efforts in inviting international coaches such as Rehmat Khan (Pakistan and UK) and Abdul Shaikh (Canada) to coach club players and professionals in Mumbai.

“Mahendra’s feat is undeniably unparalleled in the history of Indian and — arguably — world sport. In all likelihood, it merits inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records and, of course, it’s Indian equivalent — the Limca Book of Records,” remarked Ansari

  

 British Open Junior Squash tournament

This Saurav ain’t bad too 

Times of India : 12/1/2004 : By Pradeep Vijayakar

Mumbai: If people were wondering if 2004 would be as heady as 2003 when Indian sport won title after title in unexpected quarters, two teenagers have provided the answer.

They are Kolkata lad Saurav Ghosal, who won the British Junior Open squash title and Joshna Chinappa, who runner-up in the under-19 girls, after winning the under-17 crown last year.

Saurav thus emulated India’s all-time great Anil Nayar, who won the Drysdale Cup, in the 60s when it was the unofficial world junior championship. 

Saurav beat Egytpain Adelel said who had ousted the top seed Khalid Atlas of Pakistan.  Khalid is ranked 84 in world professional circuit whereas as Ghosal only began playing Satellite events towards the end of last year.  That’s how unexpected his triumph has been. 

“It feels brilliant having achieved something after working really hard.  It gives me awesome satisfaction,” said Saurav.  Did he expect to win? “I wasn’t supposed to win.  I had it in me and I really wanted to win it badly,” said Ghosal over the telephone. 

His most satisfying win? “The quarterfinal win over Egyptian Sherif Kamel.  It was a make or break match for me.” Coach Cyrus Poncha said Ghoshal’s speed of stroke on the forehand was unbelievable.  Poncha and Rajiv Reddy’s wok at the Indian Cements Academy had paid off. 

Asked about his future plans Ghoshal said,” For now I will be concentrating on my Class 12 exams. I will be playing PSA events in April-May and on August I will be spearheading India’s challenge for the World juniors in Pakistan in August.” 

Who did he attribute this victory to? “My parents, grandparents, my coaches Cyrus Poncha and Major Maniam.  Of course I must thank SRFI for their support.” 

A proud R. N. Ghoshal, father of Saurav who is secretary of Kolkata’s Racquets Club, said “Nine year’s slogging has paid off.  Saurav has to live away from home in Chennai for the last two years.  So I had my father and mother stay at a flat with him in Chennai so that he would be comfortable,” said the proud father, who said they expected a win after the quarter-final win. He said thanks to internet he could watch video clips of the final sitting at home. 

Joshna Chinappa had set the tone for Indians winning the British Junior Open title.  The Switcher - sponsored lass won the under-17 crown in January last year.

The under-19 crown narrowly eluded her as the Egyptian world junior No 1, Omneya Abdel Kawy beat her in the final for her sixth title.  Joshna had lost to Kawy at the worlds at Cario.  Coach Poncha said “She was leading 6-0 in the third game.”  Obviously Joshna can win it next year.

Indian all-time great Brig (retd) Raj Manchanda paid tribute to Ghoshal’s innovative play and to Joshna’s fast game. “They are bound to do better,” said seven-time national champ-turned coach.

(with inputs from Naoshirvan Vakil)

Boys U-19 :
Finals : 
Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Mahmoud Adel El Said (Egy) 9/0, 9/6, 9/7
Semifinals :
Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Laurence Delasaux (Eng)  9/5, 9/1, 10/8
Quarter Finals:
Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Sherif Kamel (Egy)  9/2, 9/0, 9/7

Girls U19 :
Final:
Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) bt Joshna Chinappa (Ind)   9/4, 9/0, 9/7
Semifinals:
Joshna Chinappa (Ind) bt Amna Nazmy (Egy)  5/9, 5/9, 9/6, 9/6, 9/3
Quarters:
Joshna Chinappa (Ind) bt Emma Beddoes (Eng) 3/9, 9/3, 10/9, 9/4

Girls U-13 :
Quarter Final :
Nour Nasser (Egy) bt V. Anwesha Reddy (Ind) 9/6, 10/8, 7/9, 9/7
Salma Nassar (Egy) bt Dipika Pallikal (Ind)  9/6, 9/6, 6/9, 9/7

 

Two in a row for Tandon, Chinappa out: Scottish Open
   By: A Mid Day Correspondent
    January 2, 2004

Ramit Tandon became the first Indian to win back-to-back titles at the world’s second most prestigious Squash Championship, when he became the under-13 winner.

Tandon, who didn’t drop a single game in the tournament, beat fourth seed Islam Elfiky of Egypt 9-6, 9-6, 10-8 to clinch the title.

Siddharth Suchde, finalist here last year in the under-19 event, took 58 minutes to demolish top seed Jose Becerrill of Mexico 10-8,9-4, 9-2 and claim his first major title.

Dipika Pallikal had to sweat it out in five sets before beating Anwesha Reddy 4-9, 0-9, 9-6, 9-5, 9-3.

Joshna Chinappa lost to Sussie Pierrepont (England) 4-9, 3-9, 4-9 in just 27 minutes.

Final Results:

Girls Under-19 : Susie Pierrepont (Eng) bt Joshna Chinappa (Ind) 9-4 9-3 9-4
Girls Under-17 : Petra Hughes (Aus) bt Ho Ling Joey Chan (HK) 9-4 9-2 9-2 
Girls Under-15 : Annie Au Wing Chi (HK) bt Wee Wern Lee (Mal) 9-2 2-9 9-7 9-1
Girls Under-13 : Dipika Pallikal (Ind) bt Anwesk Reddy (Ind) 4-9 0-9 9-6 9-5 9-3
Boys Under 19 : Sidditch Suchde (Ind) bt Jose Angel Becerill (Mex) 10-8 9-4 9-2 
Boys Under 17 : Arturo Salazar (Mex) bt Cesar Salazar (Mex) 10-8 9-4 5-9 7-9 9-3 
Boys Under-15 : Nicolas Muller (Switz) bt Chun Ming Au (HK) 9-2 9-7 3-9 9-3 
Boys Under-13 : Ramit Tandon (Ind) bt Islam Khal Elfiky (Egy) 9-6 9-6 10-8
 

Suchde supreme at Scottish Open
Indian Express : 2/1/2004

Siddarth Suchde did India proud defeating top seed Jose Angel Becerill of Mexico in the final, to clinch gold in the blue riband under-19 boy's event in the Scottish Junior Open. This is the first time India has bagged gold in the event. Suchde, the second seed won 10-8, 9-4, 9-2 in the girls U-19 event final Joshna Chinappa, met her match in Susie Pierrepont (Englad). Susie won 9-4, 9-3, 9-4. In the boy's U-13 event Ramit Tandon of Kolkata won the title defeating fancied Egyptian Islam Khal Elfiky 9-6, 9-6, 10-8 in the final. In the U-13 girls event, Anwesha, current National Champion in the same category, lost to compatriot Dipika Pallikal 9-4, 9-0, 6-9, 5-9, 3-9

Manish Chotrani, Deepali Anvekar win ISP Squash tournament
(Article in On Track Suburb : 14/2/2004) 

ON 1st February 2004, Manish Chotrani and Deepali Anvekar bagged the Khar Gymkhana – ISP Golden Jubilee Squash title by beating their opponents in straight sets.  In the men’s open final.  Manish Chotrani defeated Sahil Vora 15-9, 15-12, 15-7.  Deepali Anvekar had an easy win of 15-5, 15-13, 15-0 over Madhura Paranjpe. 

Though the open category finals were one – sided, the U-11 girls final was keenly fought.  In a four set match.  Ankita Sharma beat Sachika Balwani 17-16, 15-17, 15-12, 15-7.  Vikas Jangra was the U-19 Boys winner. 

Chief Guest, MP Sanjay Nirupam stated that the Government is considering giving TDS exemption on prize money for Sportsmen.  Mahendra Agarwal and Chandrakant Powar, founders of ISP, were felicitated on this occasion.  With the golden jubilee tournament.  ISP has qualified for the entry into the Limca Book of Records for hosting the largest number of tournaments. 

Khar Gymkhana  to host ISP Golden Jubilee Squash Tournament
(Article in Times of India, Mumbai : 19/01/2007)

COME January 25 and ISP (Indian Squash Professional) is all set to make its golden Jubliee Squash tournament a grand success. ISP is looking forward to using its 50th tournament for the popularising Squash in Mumbai as well as in India. This particular tournament, which will be held at Khar Gymkhana, will be played in eleven categories such as Men’s Women’s, Boys and Girls’ under 15, 11. At the same time this event is open to veterans who have excelled at this racquet sport. Veterans will play in over 35 and over 50. Khar Gymkhana who has supported ISP in various ways, is sponsoring as well as hosting the mega event in the history of Squash in Mumbai. The event will be called Khar Gymkhana ISP Golden Jubilee Squash Tournament. Over the years ISP has given birth to the young and aspiring squash players and add to this event ISP is offering 2 lakhs as prize money to attract more and more people in squash. Chandrakant Pawar, former national champion and Director of 50th ISP event said, “This is a great opportunity for the young and aspiring squash players. We are looking to this event to attract more and more players to this game. 

ISP squash tourney
(Article in Indian Express : 26/1/2004)

ISP’S 50th MILESTONE
FROM a Rs 25,000 prize money tournament for professionals (markers) only in January 1993 to the Rs 2 lakhs Hero Honda-Khar Gymkhana tourney, the ISP (Indian Squash Professionals) has come a long way and we are not talking prize money alone. 

50 AND TICKING
The only sporting NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) that has stage 50 tournaments (for this, they have received congratulatory messages from the Prime Minister and the Ministry for Youth Affairs), ISP has been instrumental in promoting awareness and interst in a sport that has more often than not been dubbed the pastime of the elite 

THE TOURNAMENT PROPER
Former National champion Manish Chotrani carries the top billing in the men’s while former U-19 champ Deepali Anvekar leads the women’s seedings.  The talented Vikas Jhangra tops the boys U-19 while Vikram Malhotra and Shivangi Paranjpe are topseeds in the U-15 boys and girls respectively.  The tournament will also see competition in the following categories – professionals (top seed Mahesh Verma), boys U-11 (Mahesh Mangaonkar), girls U-11 (Sachika Balwani), boys and girls U-9, men’s + 35 (Darius Surti) and + 50 (Raj Manchanda).  The event kicked off on Sunday and the finals are slated for February 1. 

STARS MISSING
The tournament was initially slated to be a Rs.5 lakh prize money extravaganza but when a corporate sponsor backed out, the stars followed suit.  Hence National champions Ritwik Bhattacharya (based in London) and Joshna Chinappa (based in Chennai) do not feature in the draws.

FIFTY IN FIVE
“We took 11 years to conduct out first 50 tournaments, the aim is conduct the next fifty in the five years time,” promises ISP founder and director Mahendra Agarwal.