India wins Asian junior squash title

05 February, Chennai

It was a memorable day for Indian squash asthe boy’s team lifted the Asian Junior title at Hong Kong today. Indian boys scripted a grand gold medal win by beating Malaysia 2-0 in the final today, reports received here said.

Velavan Senthilkumar won the first match against Ong Sai Hun12-10, 11-0, 11-2 and Abhay Singh, huffed and puffed after losingthe first two games, saved a match point in the fourth before winning against Darren Rahul Pragasam 10-12, 7-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-6 ina see-saw battle, to complete the gold winning effort.

This was for the second time India has won this crown, the earlier being in 2011, beating Pakistan in Colombo. Though in terms of seeding, India as top seed and Malaysia as second seed, it seemed on expected lines. But the title-match always had that tricky element to tilt the balance either way. What helped India’s cause was the day’s order of play which saw the number one player Velavan Senthilkumar enter the arena.

Fresh from his Asian individual and British Junior Open successes, Velavan was the cynosure of all eyes. He defeated Malaysian Ong Sai Hun. He stretched his Malaysian opponent and left him tired early to take the first game.

“From there he hiked the pace and the effect was Hun could not handle the intense pressure. Velavan won the next two games conceding just two points in all to give India a bright start,” National Coach Cyrus Poncha said.