Younsgters show heart as ISA junior Open ends on high note

Chennai: Determination was the need and effective play was the key and showing this in full measure was this Tamil Nadu talent Abhishekha Shannon who emerged the winner in the U-15 girls section with a hard fought win over higher seeded Gurlin Kaur of Delhi in a pulsating final on Saturday, the final day of the ISA junior squash open held at the ISA courts here. Abhishekha incidentally is a trainee of the ISA.

Equally impressive in the last few days has been Utkarsh Baheti,the 5/8 seed in the U-19 section. And the young Rajasthan showed his grit to cap his good show by becoming the champion in that category with another confidence-boosting display to send out higher seeded Rahul Baitha of Maharashtra in a five-game thriller, the last game going to extra points. In total contrast was top seed Amita Gondi's experience in the U-19 girls. The Telengana girl did drop a game but never the control as she downed Radhika Rathore of MP for the title.

Another heroic show came in the girls U-13 section where Advita Sharma of Maharashtra seeded 5/8 stopped second seed Tiana Parasrampuria in straight games to clinch the final.

The Member-Secretary, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu Ms Reeta Harish Thakkar was the chief guest and gave away the prizes.

The results: final:

Boys: U-11: Dev Sharma (2), MH, bt. Priyaan Thakker (3/4), MH, 11-7 11-3 11-1; (U-13): Shaurya Bawa (1), DL, bt Ansh Tripathi (3/4), UK, 11-8 8-11 13-11 11-5; (U-15): Shreyas Mehta (1), MH, bt Mohit Bhatt (3/4), MH, 14-12 11-5 11-5; (U-17): Yash Fadte (3/4), GA, bt Diwakar Singh (3/4), UP, 11-7 11-5 11-6 ; (U-19):Utkarsh Baheti (5/8), RJ, bt Rahul Baitha (3/4), MH, 12-10 5-11 11-8 9-11 12-10 ;

Girls (U-11): Anahat Singh (1), DL, bt Akanksha Gupta (3/4), MH, 11-2 11-3 11-4; (U-13): Advita Sharma (5/8), MH, bt Tiana Parasrampuria (2), MH, 12-10 11-5 12-10 ; (U-15): Abhisheka Shannon (5/8), TN, bt Gurlin Kaur (3/4), DL, 11-9 9-11 12-10 11-8; (U-17): Sanya Vats (1), DL, bt. Samita S (3/4), TN, 11-7 11-5 11-4; (U-19): Amita Gondi (1), TS, bt Radhika Rathore (3/4), MP, 11-4 11-9 9-11 11-6.