Anaka, Joshna in last 8 of Chennai Open squash

Chennai - India’s top junior Anaka Alankamony scripted a commendable 4-11, 11-0, 11-5, 4-11, 11-8 win over seventh seed Zulhijah Binti Azan of Malaysia as she joined second seed and compatriot Joshna Chinappa in the quarter-finals of the Chennai Open squash tournament here Wednesday.

Anaka was rather listless at the start but, after losing the first game, bounced back strongly to take the second without conceding a point and maintained her momentum to take the third.

However, Anaka turned error-prone in the fourth that she lost rather tamely. The Indian’s up-and-down performance continued in the decider as she led 4-1, but fell behind 4-7 before surging back into contention with some aggressive display to subdue the Malaysian.

Joshna dropped a game to Egypt’s Nouran Ahmed Gohar before pulling through 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-7.

Meanwhile, India’s under-15 champion Harshit Kaur put on a fighting performance before going down to fourth seed Malaysia’s Pushpa Devi, who had to work hard for her 11-8, 12-10, 12-10 win.

The results (pre-quarter-finals): 1-Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt Saai Meera (IND) 11-4 11-1 12-10 ; Anaka Alankamony (IND) bt 7-Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 4-11 11-0 11-5 4-11 11-8; 3-Sarah Jane Perry (ENG) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-4 11-2 11-6; 8-Victroria Bell (ENG) bt lakshya Ragavendran (IND) 11-8 11-3 11-6; 5-Salma Hany Ibrahim Ahmed (EGY) bt Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY) 11-6 6-11 14-12 10-12 11-5; 4-Pushppa Devi (MAS) bt Harshit Kaur Jawanda (IND) 11-8 12-10 12-10; 6-Carrie Ramsey (ENG) bt Ashita Bhengra (IND) 11-5 11-0 11-2; 2-Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Nouran Ahmed Gohar (EGY) 11-8 11-9 5-11 11-7.