World Junior Squash: Aparajitha rallies to win

Doha, July 9 – Aparajitha Balamurukan came up with a special performance as she fought back to outsmart Colombian Laura Viviana Tovar Perez and enter the second round of the World Junior Individual Squash Championship here.

Joining Aparajitha was Anaka Alankamony who made quick work of Oxanne Ah Hu from France, dropping only six points.

Also on the winning side were Mahesh Mangaonkar, Abhishek Pradhan and Vrishab Kotian all of whom advanced to the men’s third round with comfortable victories.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Harshit Kaur went down fightingagainst higher ranked Melissa Alves. Harshit had her chances after winningthe first game, but Melissa’s experience and ability to finish the ball ball denied the Indian further joy as the French girl won in four games.

The results (Indian matches):

Junior Women (1st Round): Aparajitha Balamurukan beat Laura Viviana Tovar Perez (Col) 14-12, 9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9; Anaka Alankamony beat Oxanne Ah Hu (Fra) 11-3, 11-2, 11-1; Lakshya Ragavendran lost to Julia Le Coq(Fra) 6-11, 11-1, 11-8, 11-13; Harshit Kaur Jawanda lost to Melissa Alves (Fra) 11-5, 9-11, 6-11, 9-11; Harshit Kaur Jawanda beat Megan Page(PSA) 6-11, 11-3, 11-3, 5-11, 12-10; Sachika Ingale lost to Marie Stephan(Fra) 11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 5-11.

Junior Men (Round 2): Vrishab Kotian beat Faisal Hassan (Zim) 11-7, 11-6,14-12; Mahesh Mangaonkar batt Zac Leman (Can) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9; Abhishek Pradhan beat Manuel Wanner (Sui) 11-7, 11-5, 11-5; Deepak Mishra lost to Richie Fallows (Eng) 2-11, 9-11, 10-12; Vivek Dinodia lost to Ryosei Kobayashi(Jap) 3-11, 11-1, 11-5, 7-11.