India are Asian junior squash champs

Though in terms of seeding, India as top seed and Malaysia as second seed, it seemed on expected lines but the title-match always had that tricky element to tilt the balance either way. But what helped India’s cause was the day’s order of play which saw the number one player Velavan Senthilkumar enter the arena. Fresh from his Asian individual and British Junior Open successes, Velavan was the cynasure of all eyes. 

The young Indian, easily the best from India in recent times, did not disappoint as he went about in quick time to wear out the Malaysian Ong Sai Hun. Next came Abhay Singh, who has been improving leaps and bounds and this was the moment that sought his best. 

The Chennai-based ISA trainee looked hesitant to start with against Darren Rahul, lost the first game and then from a 7-2 lost the second too. But never to be underestimated, Abhay sprung back strongly and bringing in an element of aggression in grabbed the third game but once again he was in doldrums in the fourth. But he clung on fighting, even saved a match point to turn the game around. 

That undid his opponent as Abhay took control, positioned himself deeper in the forecourt in the deciding fifth game to keep volleying winners against the tiring Malaysian and carve out a sensational win and bring India the gold medal-winning margin. In the girls’ section, India bt Chinese Taipei in its last match to finish 6th overall.

Boys: Final: India bt Malaysia 2-0 (Velavan Senthilkumar bt Ong Sai Hung 12-10, 11-0, 11-2; Abhay Singh br Darren Rahul Pragasam 10-12, 7-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-6) 

Girls: India bt Chinese Taipei 3-0 (Aishwarya Bhattarcharya bt Liu Yung-Chi 11-2, 11-7, 11-2; Vedika Arun bt Hsiao Nai-Wen 11-4, 11-2. 11-8; Sanya Vats bt Chen Pin Yu 11-1,11-1, 11-6.

Debendranath Sarangi was elected the Vice President of the Asia Squash Federation with two-thirds majority at the 37th ASF AGM held here on Sunday. Mr Sarangi, who is the President of the Squash Rackets Federation of India, replaces the sitting VP and Management committee member Mr Syed Razi Nawab of Pakistan. He is the second Indian to become the Vice President of the ASF. Mr N. Ramachandran, the former WSF President had earlier served in this post of the Asian body.