Chennai:
India's Akshay Deepak went down fighting to top seeded Egyptian Islam El Fiky in the second and final qualifying match of the Indian Challenger number five on Tuesday.
Akshay's 9-11, 11-2, 11-5, 6-11, 9-11 loss to world number 412 Islam meant he was the lone Indian out of four who could not make it to the main round from the qualifiers.
Islam now plays his country-mate and top seed Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the first round of the main draw.
17-year-old Akshay, Indian Squash Academy trainee, was leading 2-1 after the third game and looked well-set for a win. In fact, Islam was looking for ideas to negotiate the returns of Akshay, who rather easily won the second and third games.
In the fourth game, Akshay was in his elements initially but lost focus suddenly. In the decider too, Akshay was leading 5-3 at one stage but he failed to maintain his pace.
Akshay managed to take a 9-7 lead again but made two unforced errors to fritter away the match.
In the other three final qualifying matches between all Indians, Vikas Jangra, his cousin Sandeep Jangra and Abhishek Pradar made the main draw with victories over Naveen Jangra (13-4, 11-4, 11-4), Deepak Mishra (11-3, 11-4, 11-8) and Balamurugan (11-2, 11-8, 11-7) respectively.
In the main draw commencing tomorrow, Vikas Jangra will play seventh seed Choong Kam Hing of Malaysia, Sandeep takes on fifth seed Ahmed Hawas of Egypt and Abhishek will clash with third seed and favourite for the final berth, Harinder Singh Sandhu of India.
In WISPA Challenger main draw event, also commencing here tomorrow, India's Anaka Alankamony, who created a sensation winning her first WISPA title here in September last, will move to the second round due to withdrawal of fourth seed Deon Saffery from Wales due to ankle injury.
Akshay's 9-11, 11-2, 11-5, 6-11, 9-11 loss to world number 412 Islam meant he was the lone Indian out of four who could not make it to the main round from the qualifiers.
Islam now plays his country-mate and top seed Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the first round of the main draw.
17-year-old Akshay, Indian Squash Academy trainee, was leading 2-1 after the third game and looked well-set for a win. In fact, Islam was looking for ideas to negotiate the returns of Akshay, who rather easily won the second and third games.
In the fourth game, Akshay was in his elements initially but lost focus suddenly. In the decider too, Akshay was leading 5-3 at one stage but he failed to maintain his pace.
Akshay managed to take a 9-7 lead again but made two unforced errors to fritter away the match.
In the other three final qualifying matches between all Indians, Vikas Jangra, his cousin Sandeep Jangra and Abhishek Pradar made the main draw with victories over Naveen Jangra (13-4, 11-4, 11-4), Deepak Mishra (11-3, 11-4, 11-8) and Balamurugan (11-2, 11-8, 11-7) respectively.
In the main draw commencing tomorrow, Vikas Jangra will play seventh seed Choong Kam Hing of Malaysia, Sandeep takes on fifth seed Ahmed Hawas of Egypt and Abhishek will clash with third seed and favourite for the final berth, Harinder Singh Sandhu of India.
In WISPA Challenger main draw event, also commencing here tomorrow, India's Anaka Alankamony, who created a sensation winning her first WISPA title here in September last, will move to the second round due to withdrawal of fourth seed Deon Saffery from Wales due to ankle injury.
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