Western India Slam squash: Top seed Akanksha sails into second round
Mumbai: India’s top-seeded Akanksha Salunkhe defeated compatriot Tanvi Khanna 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 12-10 in a women’s second-round match of the 79th Western India Slam, a USD 9,000 prize-money Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger event being played at the CCI courts here on Thursday. Hong Hong’s Bobo Lam scored a shock win over fourth seed Malta’s Colette Sultana 9-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-9 in another in the women’s section.
In the men’s competition, Serbia’s top seed Viktor Byrtus defeated India’s Suraj Kumar Chand (IND) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4. Top seed Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt. Suraj Kumar Chand (IND) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4;
Earlier, former champion Janet Vidhi of India overcame a strong challenge from Malaysia’s Vinikasheinie Kulasegaran posting a 3-0 win in a women’s first-round match of the USD 9,000 prize-money event.
Vidhi found the going tough initially and won the first game over extra points. She then won a close second game before she got into her stride and comfortably won the third game to complete a 12-10, 11-8, and 11-3 win in 21 minutes to advance to the second round.
Tanvi Khanna of India also progressed to the second round defeating Serbia’s Jelena Dutina 11-4, 11-2, and 11-2 in just 14 minutes.
Results – Women (round 2): Bobo Lam (HKG) bt. 4-Colette Sultana (MLT) 9-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-9; 5-Jana Swaify (EGY) bt. Janet Vidhi (IND) 11-1, 11-3, 11-2; 1-Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) bt. Tanvi Khanna (IND) 11-3, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 12-10; Sze Wing Wai (HKG) bt. 7-Tamara Holzbauerová (CZE)3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-9; Sunita Patel (IND) bt. Mahak Talati (IND) 11-1, 11-2, 11-1; Pooja Arthi Raghu (IND) bt. Mehak Dinesh Gupta (IND) 11-2, 11-1, 11-1.
Men (round 2): 1-Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt. Suraj Kumar Chand (IND) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4; 7-Wailok To (HKG) bt. Tay Jun Qian (MAS) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4; Abhishek Pradhan (IND) bt. Shamil Wakeel (SRI) 4-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7; Rahul Baitha (IND) bt. 8-Shing Fung Lam (HKG) 4-11, 12-10, 17-15, 11-3; 4-Rowan Damming (NED) bt. Lap Man Au (HKG) 11-2, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5.