Chennai:
Indian players stole the limelight with unseeded Ravi Dixit defeating fourth seed Aqeel Rehman of Austria and Gaurav Nandrajog scalping eighth seeded Baseem Makram of Egypt in the pre-quarterfinals of the Indian PSA Challenger Series No five on Wednesday.
Abhishek Pradhan almost upset compatriot third seeded Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu but lost 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11 in 44 minutes.
Dixit held seasoned Aqeel Rehman spellbound with several variations in his game. Dixit won at 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9 in 47 minutes.The decider was noteworthy for Dixits exhibition of delectable drops and variations. He led 7-3 and then 9-5 then yielded four points in a row before claiming two points for the match.
In the match between Nandrajog and Makram, the Indian won 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 in 30 minutes.
However, Pradhan versus Sandhu match evoked greater interest as the former was up to wearing down the favourite.
Current National Under-17 champion, Pradhan carried too many guns against his more experienced compatriot through out the match but lacked the final push in the decider, which he was leading at 8-7 before going down to Sandhu.
In the other matches, top seed Andrew Wagih Shoukry of Egypt beat compatriot and qualifier Islam El Fiky at 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, Seventh seed, Choong Kam Hing (Malaysia) defeated qualifier, Vikas Jangra of India 11-4, 11-6, 12-10 Sandeep Jangra went down fighting to fifth seed Ahmed Hawas of Egypt At 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 8-11 (in 63 mins), Naresh Kumar (Sixth seed-India)rallied to defeat unseeded Jo Wen Ng (Mal) 9-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-2, 11-3 and James Snell (second seedEng) got past Ramit Tandon (Ind) at 14-12, 11-6,11-6.
In the lone first round match in the Indian WISPA Challenger Series event, eighth seeded Indian, Aparajitha Balamurukan defeated unseeded Maggy Marshall of Australia 11-5, 11-6, 1-11, 12-10 and set up a quarterfinal clash with top seeded Siti Munirah Jusoh of Malaysia.
In the other quarterfinal matches,Zoe Petrovansky (4th-Aus) will take on Anaka Alankamony (6th-India), Carrie Hastings (Eng) plays Lauren Selby (3rd- Eng), while Anwesha Reddy (7th India) will clash with second seeded Fiona Moverly of England.
Abhishek Pradhan almost upset compatriot third seeded Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu but lost 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11 in 44 minutes.
Dixit held seasoned Aqeel Rehman spellbound with several variations in his game. Dixit won at 11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9 in 47 minutes.The decider was noteworthy for Dixits exhibition of delectable drops and variations. He led 7-3 and then 9-5 then yielded four points in a row before claiming two points for the match.
In the match between Nandrajog and Makram, the Indian won 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 in 30 minutes.
However, Pradhan versus Sandhu match evoked greater interest as the former was up to wearing down the favourite.
Current National Under-17 champion, Pradhan carried too many guns against his more experienced compatriot through out the match but lacked the final push in the decider, which he was leading at 8-7 before going down to Sandhu.
In the other matches, top seed Andrew Wagih Shoukry of Egypt beat compatriot and qualifier Islam El Fiky at 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, Seventh seed, Choong Kam Hing (Malaysia) defeated qualifier, Vikas Jangra of India 11-4, 11-6, 12-10 Sandeep Jangra went down fighting to fifth seed Ahmed Hawas of Egypt At 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 8-11 (in 63 mins), Naresh Kumar (Sixth seed-India)rallied to defeat unseeded Jo Wen Ng (Mal) 9-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-2, 11-3 and James Snell (second seedEng) got past Ramit Tandon (Ind) at 14-12, 11-6,11-6.
In the lone first round match in the Indian WISPA Challenger Series event, eighth seeded Indian, Aparajitha Balamurukan defeated unseeded Maggy Marshall of Australia 11-5, 11-6, 1-11, 12-10 and set up a quarterfinal clash with top seeded Siti Munirah Jusoh of Malaysia.
In the other quarterfinal matches,Zoe Petrovansky (4th-Aus) will take on Anaka Alankamony (6th-India), Carrie Hastings (Eng) plays Lauren Selby (3rd- Eng), while Anwesha Reddy (7th India) will clash with second seeded Fiona Moverly of England.
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