15/06/2006
CHENNAI OPEN
Bhattacharya Celebrates Six Of The Best In Chennai
Tournament
Chennai Open Squash Championship,
ICL Squash Academy,
Chennai, India
Final:
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [3] Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-4, 11-2, 11-7 (25m)
Semi-finals:
[3] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt [6] Majid Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-8, 10-11 (1-3), 11-7 (54m)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (55m)
Quarter-finals:
[6] Majid Khan (PAK) bt [1] Khayal Muhammad Khan (PAK) 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-5
[3] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt [8] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) 11-4, 11-8, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [7] Tom Richards (ENG) 6-11, 11-7, 11-10 (7-5), 11-5
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [5] Yasir Butt (PAK) 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-3
1st round:
[1] Khayal Muhammad Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Naresh Kumar (IND) 11-6, 11-10 (5-3), 11-7 (30m)
[6] Majid Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Neil Hitchens (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (32m)
[3] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Timothy Arnold (MAS) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 (44m)
[8] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt Marton Szaboky (HUN) 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 (18m)
[7] Tom Richards (ENG) bt Parthiban Ayappan (IND) 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (18m)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Gaurav Nandrajog (IND) 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (46m)
[5] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt [Q] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (24m)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)
Qualifying finals:
Gaurav Nandrajog (IND) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 (30m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Nafzahizam Adnan (MAS) 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1) (51m)
Neil Hitchens (ENG) bt Vikas Jangra (IND) 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7 (36m)
Naresh Kumar (IND) bt Shahril Shahidan (MAS) 10-11 (0-2), 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (51m)
Bhattacharya Celebrates Six Of The Best In Chennai
Local hero Ritwik Bhattacharya beat Dutchman Dylan Bennett in the final of the 4th ICL Chennai Open Squash Championship at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai, India, to notch up his sixth PSA Tour title win in six finals.
It was a fairly one-sided match – Bennett seemingly affected by his semi-final match 24 hours earlier.
But defending champion Bhattacharya, the 26-year-old second seed from New Delhi, was in fine form as he raced to his 11-4, 11-2, 11-7 victory in 25 minutes.
"This is the first time I have seen Ritwik play so very well," said Major Maniam, Consultant Coach of the Squash Rackets Federation of India. "His length was crisp and penetrating and his drops were absolutely devastating. He managed to control his opponent with medium-paced drives, excellent lobs and killer drops. Overall, the match was a pleasure to watch."
The SRFI is planning to host a bigger event next year in the event's fifth year. "The 2006 event has been a successful tournament," said a spokesman for the championship. "The SRFI gave Ritwik a financial incentive as he broke into the top 50 two months ago."
Bennett & Bhattacharya To Contest Chennai Final
India's defending champion Ritwik Bhattacharya will face Dutchman Dylan Bennett in the final of the 4th ICL Chennai Open Squash Championship after each achieved four-game wins in just under an hour in the semi-finals at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai in India.
Second seed Bhattacharya faced compatriot Saurav Ghosal in the first semi-final. The fourth seed from Chennai looked in control and won the first game 11-8 and led 5-0 in the second. But Bhattacharya showed guts and discipline to claw his way back into the game and thereon kept control over Ghosal. The 26-year-old title-holder from New Delhi maintained his dominance throughout the rest of the match to win 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 in 55 minutes.
Now in his sixth PSA Tour final, Bhattacharya boasts a 100% record in the previous five.
Third seeded Bennett played hugging drives and a great array of shots from the front of the court to dominate Pakistan's No6 seed Majid Khan from the start. After not making a strong impression in the first two games, Khan played aggressively in the third and fought back from match ball down at 8-10 to win the game 3/1 in the tie-break.
Bennett controlled from the fourth from the start and wrapped up the match 11-4, 11-8, 10-11 (1-3), 11-7 in 54 minutes to reach the fourth PSA Tour final of his career – but, like Bhattacharya, his first for almost a year.
Ghosal & Bhattacharya Lead Local Charge Into Chennai Quarters
Ritwik Bhattacharya and Saurav Ghosal will represent local interest in the quarter-finals of the 4th ICL Chennai Open after comfortable first round wins at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai in India.
Second seed Bhattacharya had no trouble in disposing of Rob Sutherland of Wales 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 in 26 minutes. The 26-year-old from New Delhi will now face Pakistan's Yasir Butt, the No5 seed, for a place in the semi-finals.
Ghosal, the No4 seed, had to work harder to earn his victory against compatriot Gaurav Nandrajog, taking 46 minutes to win 11-5, 11-10, 11-5. The UK-based 19-year-old from Chennai will now meet England's Tom Richards, the seventh seed who ended Indian Parthiban Ayappan's run in straight games.
The closest battle of the day saw Dutchman Dylan Bennett overcome Malaysia's Timothy Arnold 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 in 44 minutes.
Indians March Into Chennai Open Draw
Local players took three out of the four places available in the qualifying finals of the Chennai Open at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai in a great day for Indian squash.
Naresh Kumar, a 17-year-old from Delhi, will make his PSA Tour debut after defeating Shahril Shahidan. From two games down, Kumar beat the Malaysian ranked 102 places higher 10-11 (0-2), 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 in 51 minutes – and will now face Pakistan's top seed Khayal Muhammad Khan.
Another 17-year-old Indian beat a Malaysian to take a place in the first round draw. Chennai-based Harinder Pal Sandhu, defeated Nafzahizam Adnan 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1) in 51 minutes.
In a bad day for Malaysians, Adnan's brother Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan also suffered a shock defeat at the hands of an Indian when Gaurav Nandrajog removed the top0ranked player in the qualifying draw 11-7, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 in 30 minutes.
Back in the PSA rankings after a year's gap, Nandrajog proved too strong for the younger Adnan – and will now take on compatriot Saurav Ghosal, the fourth seed.
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Khayal Muhammad Khan (PAK) v [Q] Naresh Kumar (IND)
[6] Majid Khan (PAK) v [Q] Neil Hitchens (ENG)
[3] Dylan Bennett (NED) v Timothy Arnold (MAS)
[8] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) v Marton Szaboky (HUN)
[7] Tom Richards (ENG) v Parthiban Ayappan (IND)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Q] Gaurav Nandrajog (IND)
[5] Yasir Butt (PAK) v [Q] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) v Rob Sutherland (WAL)
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