Ansh edges past Arhaan in five hard fought games

Maharashtra’s teenager Ansh Somani staged a remarkable comeback after losing the opening two games against compatriot Arhaan Lunkad on the opening day of the Bombay Gymkhana 47^th Maharashtra State Open All India Squash Tournament 2024, being sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Parfums and co-sponsored by Indian Oil on Saturday.

Ansh, a student of Bombay International School, showed plenty of grit and determination and in his five game thrilling win 5-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, and 11-4 to qualify for the second round.

 On the other hand Maharashtra’s Rahul Yadav and  Urvaksh F. Mogrelia from West Bengal’s logged easy first-round victories in the Men’s category on the opening day of the Bombay Gymkhana 47^th Maharashtra State Open All India Squash Tournament 2024, being sponsored by Mercedes-Benz Parfums and co-sponsored by Indian Oil on Saturday.

Yadav proved too good for Kapil Malhotra of Delhi while coasting to an 11-1, 11-1, and 11-4 win, Mogrelia on the other hand cruised past Maharashtra’s Yash Sanap with a score line of   11-2, 11-1, and 11-3 at the Gymkhana’s courts.

Meanwhile, Ansh Somani of Maharashtra lost the first two games against compatriot Arhaan Lunkad in an interesting Boys’ U-15 first-round match. Ansh, a student of Bombay International School, showed plenty of grit and determination and staged a gallant fight back to win the next three games for a well-deserved 5-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, and 11-4 win.

In other Men’s encounters, Chandigarh’s Sonu encountered quite a challenge from Hunarpal Kohli of Maharashtra before romping to an 11-3, 12-10, 9-11, and 11-8 victory to advance to the second round.

Uttar Pradesh’s Kailash Talati and Assam’s Dikshanta Sarma, crashed at the first hurdle losing tamely to Maharashtra challengers. Talati lost to Vishab Kotian in straight games at 6-11, 5-11, and 5-11, while Tanul Bomia also defeated Sarma in three games at 11-4, 11-5, and 11-5.

In other well-contested Boys’ Under-15 encounters, Goa’s Ishan Sharma recovered after dropping the first game to prevail over Maharashtra’s Sherbir Singh Poonia 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, and 11-9, while Karnataka’s Pradeepsingh Rathore easily defeated Reyansh Chheda of Maharashtra 11-4, 11-3, and 11-3 to join Ansh in the second round.

Results (1st round)

Girls' U-11: Suhani Katariya (MH) bt Gauri Shid (MH) 11-6, 11-2, 11-3; Rishima Mahurkar (MH) bt Dia Doshi (MH) 11-2, 11-1, 11-1; Aarna Rao (MH) bt Sonali Nirguda (MH) 11-0, 11-0, 11-0; Ariana Almoula (MH) bt Inaya Andrabi (RJ) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5; Isha Ambekar (MH) bt Karuna Nirgude (MH) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6; Aditi Singh (MH) bt Arwa Shelar (MH) 11-1, 11-4, 11-2; Anushka Tandon (MH) bt Roshani Shid (MH) 11-7, 12-10, 11-8; Radhika Karnik (MH) bt Vasanti Vare (MH) 11-1, 11-0, 11-2.

Boys U-13 : Vivaan Chadha (MH) bt Ishaan Goenka (MH) 11-2, 11-4, 11-6; Viraj Saran bt Ranveer Shinde 11-3, 11-6, 10-12, 11-7; Aryan Malhotra (KA) bt Sirhaan Singhee (MH) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8; Kiaan Kulkarni (MH) bt Veer Vohra (MH) 11-5, 11-1, 11-5; Bhushan Daravada (MH) bt Rayhaan Shah (MH) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5; Agastya Jain (MH) bt Aman Jaitly (MH) 11-8, 11-3, 11-5.

Boys’ U-15: Ansh Somani (MH) bt Arhaan Lunkad (MH) 5-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-4; Arnav Dharia (MH) bt Parshva Lakdawala (MH) 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-9; Ishan Sharma (GA) bt Sherbir Singh Poonia (MH) 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9; Pradeepsingh Rathore (KA) bt Reyansh Chheda (MH) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3; Dhanvin Shroff (MH) bt Mudassir Patel (MH) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6.

Men: Varun Gupta (MH) bt Amit Gajria (MH) 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8; Jainendra Bhandari (MH) bt Ayush Singh (CG) 14-12, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7; Divit Poojary (MH) bt Ramesh Prasad (MH) 11-4, 11-9, 4-11, 11-3; Ratish Rao (MH) bt Siddharth Bhavsar (MH) 11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 11-3; Purav Rambhia (MH) bt Khan Shahbaj (GJ) 11-1, 11-8, 11-9; Vishab Kotian (MH) bt Kailash Talati (UP) 11-6, 11-3, 11-3; Tanul Bomia (MH) bt Dikshanta Sarma (AS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5; Dipesh Jadhav (MH) bt Rohit Happe (MH) 11-9, 9-11, 11-2, 11-4; Rahul Yadav (MH) bt Kapil Malhotra (DL) 11-1, 11-1, 11-4; Sonu (CH) bt Hunarpal Kohli (MH) 11-3, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8; Urvaksh F. Mogrelia (WB) bt Yash Sanap (MH) 11-2, 11-1, 11-3.