Joshna Chinappa and Saurav Ghosal overcame stiff challenge in semis in the national squash championships under way in the Capital.

By Anshul Baijal

The top seeds have lived up to the expectations as they cruised into the finals of senior national squash championships being held at the Delhi Gymkhana.

In the men's semi-finals on Saturday evening, World No.32 and top seed Saurav Ghosal of Tamil Nadu beat local favourite Gaurav Nandrajog 11-4, 11-2, 11-5. The game was a much closer encounter than the score-line suggests. Ghosal was made to work hard but it was his massive experience that made all the difference.

The second semi-final was tipped to be the game of the day and it really was. Harinder Pal Singh (Tamil Nadu) and Siddharth Suchde (Maharashtra) played out a 5-setter, which the former won 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 13-15, 11-8.

Suchde started off well but he was unlucky as a few close calls at crucial junctures went against him, and he ended up on the losing side in the next two sets. The 4th set was a see-saw affair but it was the Maharashtra lad who turned the set into his favour and the match went into the decider.

But it was thus far as he could go. Singh played some outstanding down-the-line shots and mixed it up well with drop shots to clinch the game and set up an all Tamil Nadu final clash on Sunday.

In the women's semi-finals, Joshna Chinappa of Tamil Nadu showed up state-mate Aparajita Balamurkan 11-5, 11-5, 11-5. Aparajita had no answer to Joshna's down-the-line forehands and well-timed drop shots. Aparajita was not as swift and nimble as her opponent, and eventually ran out of steam to concede the game in straight sets.

Joshna will now play Tamil Nadu's Anaka Alankamony in the final on Sunday. Anaka upstaged Saumya Karki of Maharashtra 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 in the second semi-final. The first game was all too easy for the Tamil Nadu girl as Saumya struggled with her movements.

The Maharashtra girl picked her game up in the second set but still could not help being two sets down. Saumya turned it around in the third set with her opponent looking over her shoulder. Anaka got her concentration and form back to wrap up the match in the next set.

In the over-35 men's semi-final: Dalip Tripathi (West Bengal) beat Vicky Nayar (Chandigarh) 11-13, 11-6, 11-7, 3-11, 12-10 and Uday Singh (Delhi) crushed CDR AA Pednekar (SSB) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.

Other results: (Over-40 men's semi-final) 1. Rohit Thawani (Pune) eased past Rahul Nayar (Delhi) 9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6; 2. Mohanish Sawant (Pune) thumped Vivan Khubchand (Delhi) 11-7, 11-9, 12-10. (Over-45 men's semi-final): 1. O'Neil Pramanik (West Bengal) beat Ajay Manchanda (Chandigarh) 1-8, 12-10, 11-2 2. Yudhishtra Kapur (Delhi) beat Vijay Ingale (Delhi) Walkover. (Over-50 men's semi-final): 1. Vaman Apte (Maharashtra) beat Swagat Bam (Delhi) 11-5, 11-7, 11-3. 2. Viney Singh (Karnataka) beat Col. L. K. Agnihotri (Pune) 11-5, 11-8, 11-7.