Indian
Challenger,
Chennai, India
Donna Dashes
Home Hopes In Chennai
Australia's
Donna Urquhart dashed home hopes of success in the Women's Indian
Challenger when she beat Joshna Chinappa in the final of the WISPA
World Tour 12 squash event at the Indian Squash Academy in the
southern Indian city of Chennai.
It was after
beating third-seeded compatriot Lisa Camilleri in the semi-finals that
event favourite Urquhart, from New South Wales, reached her second successive
WISPA Tour final, and the 12th of her career.
But Chinappa,
the fourth seed from Chennai, made her breakthrough in the other semi where she
beat higher-ranked national rival Dipika Pallikal, the No2 seed, in five
games to also reach the 12th Tour final of her career.
And Chinappa,
the reigning and ten times Indian national champion, took the opening game
against Urquhart - and looked set to repeat her upset over the world No16 in
their last meeting in Malaysia over two years ago.
But the Indian
star, ranked 20 places lower, was unable to push on as Urquhart increased her
variety of strokes to wrap up the match with confidence, winning 8-11, 11-4,
11-5, 11-6 in 39 minutes.
"After losing
the first game, I tightened up my serves as Joshna was able to return with elan,"
explained the 24-year-old Australian left-hander afterwards. "I am happy that
most often I succeeded with my double boasts and was able to push to the corner
to score points.
"Mainly, I
concentrated on my game instead of trying to counter Joshna today," added
Urquhart after securing her sixth WISPA Tour title.
1st round:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Anaka Alankamony (IND) 11-9, 11-3,
17-15 (32m)
[7] Tenille Swartz (RSA) bt [Q] Lakshya Ragvendra (IND) 11-3,
11-6, 11-3 (19m)
[3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6
(19m)
[5] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [Q] Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND)
7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-2 (44m)
[6] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-8, 11-5,
11-7 (29m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Olga Ertlova (CZE) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5
(30m)
[8] Melody Francis (AUS) bt Adel Weir-Nunan (RSA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
(18m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Siyoli Waters (RSA) 11-7, 11-7, 8-11,
11-0 (38m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [7] Tenille Swartz (RSA) 11-8, 14-12,
11-6 (34m)
[3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [5] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-9,
11-9, 11-4 (34m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [6] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 11-4,
11-5, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [8] Melody Francis (AUS) 11-6, 11-5,
11-6 (27m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 8-11, 11-4,
11-5, 11-6 (39m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 6-11, 11-9,
11-6, 6-11, 11-6 (60m)
Final:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 8-11, 11-4,
11-5, 11-6 (39m)
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