Sunayna Kuruvilla and Tanvi Khanna, two of India’s best players after Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, produced a top-class performance in the women’s final that brought the curtains down on the HCL-SRFI Indian squash tour tournament, a PSA Challenger-10 event, at the ISA courts here on Thursday.
Second seed Tanvi saved three match-points to outlast top-seeded Sunayna 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13 in the women’s final. However, it was an anti-climax in the men’s summit clash as fourth-seeded S. Velavan drubbed Abhishek Pradhan, seeded six, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.
Tanvi and Sunayna played a tactical match that was engaging and entertaining. In the first game, Tanvi raked up an 8-3 lead with some delectable drops and strong play from the backcourt and never looked back.
Sunayna hit back with strong defence and deft placements to pocket the next two games. Tanvi then made it two games each rather comfortably at 11-7 with some outstanding drops and consistent play.
Tanvi took a handy 5-2 lead in the decider before the top seed made it 5-5, and it was neck and neck with both players producing their best.
Holding her nerve
Sunayna had two match-points at 10-8 and one more at 12-11, but Tanvi held her nerve to bag her maiden PSA title.
In the men’s final, Pradhan, generally a fighter and a consistent player, was totally outplayed.
Velavan, the left-handed 23-year-old from Chennai, didn’t give Pradhan any chance to attack with a strong defence.
“This is my second PSA title after the one in Madison (USA) in 2018. Today, I didn’t allow him to prolong the rallies. My counterattack was good,” said Velavan.
Finding it tough
Tanvi said she always found it tough against Sunayna.
“Last time, in the semifinals of the 2019 senior Nationals in Chennai, Sunayna had a match-point at 10-9 in the fifth and I went on to win,” she said.
The winners took home $1,140 each and 400 ranking points. HCL Technologies global sales director Arun Rajendran gave away the prizes.
The results (finals): Men: S. Velavan bt Abhishek Pradhan 11-7,11-8, 11-5.
Women: Tanvi Khanna bt Sunayna Kuruvilla 11-5, 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13.
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