Dipika qualifies for main draw of Chennai squash
By IANSTuesday, March 2, 2010
CHENNAI - India No.2 Dipika Palikal upset second seed Aisling Blake of Ireland in the final qualifying matches of the PSA and WISPA Chennai Open 2010 squash championship at the Indian Squash Academy, here Wednesday.
Having beating Blake 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 in 31 minutes, Palikal has a tough task ahead since she has been drawn to meet World No.1 and top seed Nicol David of Malaysia in the main draw that starts Thursday. Wild card Joshna Chinappa, the top Indian star, is drawn to play Kasey Brown (7th seed) of Australia.
In the mens final qualifying events, Gaurav Nandrajog (ranked 174) was the lone player among four Indians on view to bite the dust, going down to highly ranked Kristian Frost Oslesen (107) of Denmark 11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 8-11 in 73 minutes.
Playing on centre court, both Ritwik Bhattacharya and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu did not exert themselves much in making the main draw, while Siddharth Suchde beat compatriot Vikas Jangra 11-7, 11-1, 11-5.
In the other womens final qualifying matches, top seeded Donna Urquhart of Australia showed her experience in gaining vital match points in the second and third games before downing Anaka Alankamony of India 11-3, 12-10, 12-10 in 26 minutes.
Results (final qualifying matches):
Men: Siddharth Suchde (Ind) bt Vikas Jangra (Ind) 11-7, 11-1, 11-5 (30 mins); Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) bt Stuart Crawford (Scot) 11-8, 8-11, 11-2, 13-11 (35 mins); Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (Ind) bt Elvinn Keo (Mas) 11-7, 11-6, 13-11 (38 mins); Kristian Frost Olesen (Den) bt Gaura Nandrajog (Ind) 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 (73 mins).
Women: Dipika Palikal (Ind-7th seed) bt Aisling Blake (Ire-2nd seed) 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (31 mins); Delia Arnold (Mas) bt Joey Chan (Hgk) 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (39 mins); Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt Sharon Wee (Mas) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (25 mins); Donna Urquhart(Aus) bt Anaka Alankamony (Ind) 11-3, 12-10, 12-10 (26 mins).
