Yuvraj Wadhwani was India's hero (25th Asian Junior Individual Championship, Chennai 26-29 Sept)

Yuvraj Wadhwani was India's hero in the Championship by winning the U-13 title. He was the top seed and keen to ensure he won the event. Not many top seeds in the championship could hold on to that reputation and so when Yuvraj did grab the title from a fighting Pakistani opponent, unseeded Anas Ali Shah the pent up emotions burst out in this young lad. Tears rolled down his cheek as he hugged his mother and father, his greatest supporters. It was a tough final but the only damage this hugely talented, focussed and determined lad suffered was losing one game and the pain of a few falls and a dive on the hard surface. Given an opening, Shah would have razed down the Indian's dream. But skills have their way of facing difficult situations. That is what Yuvraj did. His backhand worked nearly perfect and most of all he did not wilt under pressure. That undid the Pakistani. The rest is history. Sadly there was none else to match Yuvraj's show. Arnaav Sareen came close in the U-15 section but in the final, he went down to the Pakistani opponent, Mohammed Hamza Khan to give India one silver medal. Four others reached the semi-final; Tushar Shahani in the U-19 boys, Sanya Vats in the U-17 girls, Kavya Bansal and Tiana Parasrampuria, both in U-13 girls section to earn a bronze medal each. The championship showed talents from Pakistan, Malaysia and Hong Kong in good light. Among the gold medal winners, Malaysia's Aira Azman in the U-15 section will remember the championship for long because it also coincided with her birthday and none forgot that! 
The Tamil Nadu Squash Rackets Association has conducted this event successfully in Chennai for the fifth time since its inception. The Vice President, World Squash Federation Huang Ying How and President SRFI, Debendranath Sanarngi, IAS (Retd) gave away the prizes. Huang Ying How on his first visit to India said he was very happy to be at the Indian Squash Academy The Home of Indian Squash and give away the trophies to Asia’s best juniors. 

A modest beginning (Thriveni Junior and Senior Squash Open, 01-05 Sept, Oragadam 

It was  a modest beginning for an event that has just been linked to the national circuit. Around 200 entries lit up this tournament held on the outskirts of  Chennai and in facilities that promise to accommodate bigger events in the seasons to come. Competitions were held in the men's section and boys and girls (U-11, 13, 15, 17).  In a modest field in the 64-draw, Chennai lad Vikas Mehra, seeded 3/4 made the most of the situation to win the men's title. Right through he never dropped a game to finish off in style. The other winners: Boys: U-17: Tejas Chawla (Del); U-15: Adhil Mohammed Syed (TN); U-13: Tavneet Singh Mundra (MP): U-11: Darshil Parasrampuria (TN); Girls: U-17: Trina Iris (TN); U-15: Abhisheka Shannon (TN); U-13: Khusboo (UP); U-11:Navya Sundararajan. 

Abhishek Agarwal and Urwashi Joshi lead the field (Daly College Central India Squash Open, 08-12 Sept, Indore)

One of the nerve centres for squash in India and in MP, is the Daly College. Dr. V.K.Dabas, Secretary MPSRA said “DC is a sports loving school and regularly comes forward to organise this major event for which generally a good participation is a guarantee.” Competitions were held in the men’s, women's, men's over 35 and boys and girls (U-11, 13, 15, and 17). The men's section saw the final being contested by the top two seeds Abhishek Pradhan and Abhishek Agarwal, both Maharashtra boys with only the outcome going against the seeding. Agarwal downed Pradhan but not before the contest had gone the full distance. Twice Pradhan led but Agarwal showed the tenacity to fight back and seize the advantage. The women's contest in the final was also between the top two seeds with Urwashi Joshi of Maharashtra, the higher seed beating Tamil Nadu's Mayuri Namasivayam. Other winners: Boys: U-17: Tejas Chawla (Del); U-15: Rutva Samant (Mah); U-13: Tavneet Singh Mundra (MP); U-11: Subash Choudhary (Rj); Girls: U-17: Amira Singh (Del); U-15: Aasya Patel (MP); U-13: Aryaa Belsare (Mah); U-11: Anahat Singh (Del). 

India finish 12th (WSF-Women's team Championship, 11-16 Sept, Dalian ,China)

When the Asian Games team was announced, it was also decided that the same women's team would later represent India at the World championship as well. However the last minute withdrawal of Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik for reasons connected with some injury, the Indian team was severely depleted in strength. Joshna's place was taken over by Aparajitha Balamurukan while Dipika's had no replacement. As it happened, Sunayna, Aparajitha and Tanvi Khanna formed the team. Clubbed along with USA, France and host China in Group C, India could register just one win in the league, that against China (3-0). India thus could not qualify for the knock-out and played for the 9-16 placings. Here in this phase also, India could win only one match, against Switzerland, thereby helping it to fight for the 11th place with Japan. Japan however proved stronger though, Tanvi's delightful fight back in the deciding match raised a flicker of hope of a possible India-win.

Ranjit and Tanya emerge winners (Saturday Club Junior and Senior open 2018 , Kolkata, 15-19 Sept)

This was a new event in Kolkata, which already has enough facilities for top squash tournaments. But what must have heartened squash enthusiasts was the coming to the fore of new players, a sign of the sport's growing base. Nearly every section had a good mix of familiar and new players and the end-results too panned out that way. While the men winner was a known player Ranjit Singh of UP, his counterpart in the women's section was relatively new, Tanaya M. Parakh, who incidentally was the first U-19 girl from Kolkata to have taken part in the recent Asian junior championship in Chennai. Overall it was a modest start for a club which was organising an SRFI event for the first time. Just under 150 entries came in for this event which witnessed competitions in four age categories in boys and three in girls sections in addition to matches in men's, women's and pro-Coach sections. Expressing happiness over the addition of one more tournament in the Bengal region, Mr Binod Kankaria, President, West Bengal Squash Racket Association hoped that the new tournament would in the seasons ahead attract more players. The various other winners: boys: U-11: Subhash Choudhary (2) RJ; U-13: Uday Bharati 3 /4) UP; U-15: Rutva Samant (5/8) MH; U-17: Prithvi Singh (1) CH; girls: U-13: Aley Masand (2) MH; U-15: Aasya Patel (1) MP; U-17: Anannya Morey (1) MH; Pro-Coach: Sandeep Kumar Yadav (2) WB

Second Tour title for Aditya ( Kiva Club Open, Santa Fe, USA, 20-23, Sept)

Aditya Jagtap was determined to make a mark and the tournament provided the arena. Seeded fourth but the Indian set about with grit, making short work of Guy Davidson of USA in the first round before a never-say-die effort over 6th seeded Hugo Varela of Spain in a five-game battle. Beating the second seed Pakistani Shahjahan Khan in four games 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-9 in the semi-final raised his self-belief. The final pitted him against the top seed Faraz Khan of USA but Aditya never let that unsettle him as he worked out a 11-7, 4-11, 14-12, 11-8 win in 50 minutes of total focused approach to grab his second PSA title.

Aspin Cup, Charlottetown, Canada, 25-29 Sept

Vikram Malhotra, seeded four fought his way past the third seed and world junior champion Mostafa Asal of Egypt 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 to win his seventh PSA title. As the scores suggest it was a closely fought match that even saw the young Egyptian taking time off for a while before the second game after he suffered a mild ankle injury in a collision with the Indian. It was fast and furious stuff from both players but in the end what helped Vikram was his touch and consistency. 

Saurav Ghosal at rank 11, his career best

India's already highest ranked squash player Saurav Ghosal has improved his ranking by a notch to 11, his career best.
The October rankings released by the PSA showed that Ghosal was on rank 12 till last month. Similarly other star of Indian squash, Joshna Chinappa has jumped two rungs to be on 14, still four short of her career best of 10 she had reached less than two years ago. However Dipika Pallikal Karthik dropped four rungs to be on 23.
As for the rest, Harinder Pal Sandhu has improved to 57 from 60, Ramit Tandon is on 59 from 64, Mahesh Mangaonkar is on 64 from 68 and Vikram Malhotra is on 72 from 84.

Texas Cup, Houston, USA, 03-07 Oct

India's Vikram Malhotra was on fire. The US- based player, who had only the previous week won a PSA Challenger event in Canada, added one more to his kitty with the triumph here. He beat Daniel Mekbeb of Czeck Republic over five games 11-6, 2-11, 5-11, 15-13, 11-1. This is Vikram's eighth PSA title overall in his career thus far. The fourth seeded Indian, who moved ahead after a first-round bye, got past three players enroute to the final. His second round victim was Syed Hamzad Bukhari of Pakistan, followed by Reuben Phillips of England in the quarterfinals and another Pakistani Shahjahan Khan, the 8th seed in the semi-final 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6. Incidentally the top seed in this event was Ramit Tandon but he conceded his match in the quarter final to Shahjahan Khan, Vikram's semi-final victim.

Aasya Patel stole the thunder (HCL International Junior Open, Greater Noida., 3-7 Oct)

In all 376 entries had come in for this ASF silver and 5-star national circuit event held at the Shiv Nadar University. This represented an increase of over 125 entries compared to the previous two editions and this increased representation was reflected in the competition with matches gaining intensity and the pressure to succeed mounting. Still it must be said, except for the girls U-15 section where the second seed Aasya Patel of MP won beating top seed Uditi Mishra of Rajasthan, the rest of the categories went on to endorse the seedings to bring up the top seed as the winner. As for Aasya it must be said, the young girl deserved the success as she came back from two games down and a nerve racking third game to post the incredible but creditable win. The boys U-19 event, the premier feature of the tournament saw Rutvik Rau of Maharashtra overwhelming the Delhi lad Sankalp Anand despite the latter's late attempt for a comeback. For sheer supremacy Ananya Dabke of Maharashtra was the pick as she won the U-17 girls title beating Amira Singh of Delhi in three straight games. On the final day the organisers brought in the Asian Games silver medalist shooter Deepak Kumar to the prize distribution function to join Mr Shikar Malhotra, Executive Director of HCLand Pro Chancellor of Shiv Nadar University. Other winners: boys: U-11: Gurveer Singh (CH) ; U-13: Ansh Tripathi (UttK) ; U-15: Paarth Ambani (MAH); U-17: Tejas Chawla (DL); girls: U-11: Anahat Singh(DL) ; U-13: Chitrangda Goel (UP). Dr. N.K. Pandey Secretary UP Squash Association applauded HCL for their continued support for the 3rd year running. 

Sidharta and Machuma champions (Tripura State championship, Agartala, October)

Nothing reflects the good health of the sport better than increased activities in the country. That squash has a good following in the North East of the country came to light with the successful conduct of the Tripura State Championship in October at Agartala. The championship was organised at the Assam Rifles Squash Courts. The events held were for boys (U-15, 19), girls (U-15), men, women and veterans. The official guests on the final day were were Arun Kanti Bhaumik (Advocate General), Dr Manik Saha (Secretary,Tripura Sports Council),Brigadier Ashwini Nayyar(Commander ASSAM RIFLES) ,Mr Alak Ghosh (Secretary of Tripura Sports Journalist Club). Mr Sujit Roy ( Chief Advisor) presided and also present was Mr Mohan Lal Saha(Member,Tripura Sports Council).All them joined in giving away the prizes. Following were the winners: boys: U-19: Bikash Kumar; U-15: Shashidhar Roy; girls: U-15: Roshini Kumari; men: Siddharta Jaiswal ; women: Machuma Begam Chowdhury; veterans: Brig. Ashwini Nayyar.