Ritwik storms into final

India No. 1 and top seed Ritwik Bhattacharya announced his arrival in India with a fluent 9-3, 9-0, 9-3 demolition of fourth seed Vikas Jangra to enter the Open final, while women's top seed Joshna Chinappa of Chennai set herself up for a double crown, in the 61st CCI-Western India Open Squash Tournament, co-sponsored by Lifebuoy, at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Friday.

Ritwik set up a title clash with Gaurav Nandrajog, of Delhi, who overcame the challenge of CCI Squash Academy lad Rishad Pandole 9-2, 6-9, 9-3, 9-6 in the second semi-final.

London-based Ritwik, who just arrived from Greece, where he reached the Athens Open semi-finals, completed his tie against the talented Jangra in about 35 minutes. The India star could have ended the match earlier, but he hit the tin on a few occasions and Jangra snatched points along the way to delay the favourite's passage into the title round.

Playing against the much-accomplished Ritwik, it turned out to be a valuable lesson, though, for Jangra, who is just out of the junior ranks.

Chinappa predictably entered the women's and girls' under-19 finals with convincing wins. In the women's final, the Chennai lass takes on Dr. Deepali Anvekar, while in the girls' under-19 final she will play No. 2 Shivangi Paranjpe.

Boys' under-15 top seed Laxman Joshi ended unseeded Akhilesh Nayak's winning spree with a 9-4, 9-1, 9-3 semi-final win.

Earlier, Nayak, a CCI Squash Academy product, shocked No. 4 seed Jay Dalal with a disciplined 10-8, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4 quarter-final win.

Joshi will take on second seed Naveen Jangra, who overcame Aditya Jagtap 9-2, 10-8, 9-2 in the other semi-final.

Second seed Manek Mathur entered the boys' under-17 final following a hard-fought 6-9, 9-2, 4-9, 9-1, 9-3 win over formidable Vikram Malhotra. The two have clashed for the third time in 10 days and Mathur has won on the earlier two occasions.

Results

Open (semi-finals): Ritwik Bhattacharya bt Vikas Jangra 9-3, 9-0, 9-3; Gaurav Nandrajog bt Rishad Pandole 9-2, 6-9, 9-3, 9-6.

Women's (semi-finals): Joshna Chinappa (Chennai) bt Shahnaz Dastur 9-2, 9-0, 9-2; Dr. Deepali Anvekar bt Shivangi Paranjpe 9-0, 9-2, 9-1.

Girls' under-19 (semi-finals): Shivangi Paranjpe bt Shahnaz Dastur 10-8, 9-5, 7-9, 5-9, 9-6; Joshna Chinappa (Chennai) bt Shaheeda Madraswala 9-1, 9-1, 9-1.

Girls' under-15 (semi-finals): Shivangi Paranjpe bt Ankita Sharma 9-0, 9-4, 9-1; Shaheeda Madraswala bt Shaheen Madraswala 9-10, 9-2, 9-7, 9-1.

Boys' under--19 (semi-finals): Sandeep Jangra bt Imran Khan (Dhampur) 9-5, 9-0 (conceded); Manek Mathur bt Rushabh Vora 9-3, 9-5, 9-2.

Boys' under-17 (semi-finals): Manek Mathur bt Vikram Malhotra 6-9, 9-2, 4-9, 9-1, 9-3; Sandeep Jangra bt Naishad Lalwani 9-3, 9-7, 9-0.

Boys' under-15 (semi-finals): Laxman Joshi bt Akhilesh Nayak 9-4, 9-1, 9-3; Naveen Jangra bt Aditya Jagtap 9-2, 10-8, 9-2.

Boys' under-13 (semi-finals): Ravi Dixit bt Aadit Zaveri 9-0, 9-3, 9-0; Aditya Jagtap bt Mahesh Mangaonkar 9-1, 9-7, 9-1.

Boys' under-11 (semi-finals): Mahesh Mangaonkar bt Ishaan Advani 9-0, 9-1, 9-0; Rohan Paranjpe bt Ankita Sharma 9-10, 9-3, 9-7, 9-4.