Three Indians in the Quarter finals in the British Junior Open squash

Kush Kumar

Three Indians feature in the quarterfinals of the Technifibre British Junior Open squash event being held in England. On top of the list is the national U-19 champion and a trainee at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, Kush Kumar who will face Amr Arafa of Egypt. In the U-17 section is another Tamil Nadu boy and Kush’s academy mate Velavan Senthilkumar who plays Youssef Ebrahim of Egypt while in the U-15 section.

Tushar Shahini faces Mostfa Assad, also of Egypt. With around 40 players from Egypt in the fray in various categories, this edition is seeing a domination from this country.

Kush began his campaign with a 11-2, 11-2, 11-5 win over Bjorn Osterhus of Norway.

Another comfortable victory over Lawrence Green of UK , the scores being 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 pushed the Indian into the last sixteen. UK’s Patrick Rooney was his next victim. Kush won 11-9, 11-0, 6-11, 11-5 for a last eight place.

Shahini went ahead smoothly before facing stubborn Jarred Carter UK in the pre-quarterfinal. He won the over one-hour fight 9-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5, 13-11. Earlier in the first round, Shahini beat Benjamin Sockett (UK) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 and Jeremias Azana of Argentina in the second round 11-7, 11-3, 11-6.

Velavan beat Aaron Allpress (UK) 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 in the opening round. In the next match, he went past Calvin McCafferty of U.S 11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 before beating Roman Allinckx of Switzerland 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 to reach the quarterfinals.

Results of other Indians:

Boys: U-19: IInd rd: Guhan Senthilkumar lost to Omar El Atmas (Egy) 7-11, 5-11, 7-11; Ist rd: bt George Wills (UK) 11-5, 7-11, 11-13, 11-6, 11-6 ;

U-17: IIIrd rd: Ranjit Singh lost to Saad El din Ihab (Egy) 3-11, 6-11, 7-11; IInd rd: bt Jesse Kok Sheng Foo (Mal) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6; Ist rd: bt Jesper Phillips (Nor) 11-5, 11-2, 11-1.;

U-15: IInd rd Veer Chotrani los to Roko Voncina (Croat) 10-12, 11-7, 5-11, 9-11; Veer Chotrani lost to Leonel Cardenas (Mex) 9-11, 6-11, 9-11; Ist rd: Chotrani bt Marcus Tranter (UK) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3;

Yash Fadte bt Grant Steermans (US) 11-9, 11-4, 11-3; U-13: IInd round: Shriraman Raghavan lost to Sam Todd (UK) 5-11, 4-11, 8-11; Ist rd bt G. Hall (Uk) 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5.

Girls: U-17: IIIrd rd: Akanksha Salunke lost to Habiba Mohd (Egy) 5-11, 3-11, 5-11; IInd rd: bt Cascay Wong (US) 13-11, 11-6, 15-13; Ist rd: bt Grace Gear (UK) 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5.