Mumbai : Unseeded players Koel Shankar and Jannia Singh defeated higher-ranked players to reach the Girls U-19 finals of the Otters Club Open Squash Tournament here on Wednesday.
The two players have had a dream run in the tournament beating some of the best players to make the finals.
In the first semi-final, Koel Shankar defeated Tanaya Parakh6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-1, 11-8.
In the other semi-final match, giant-killer Jannia Singh defeated higher ranked Amira Singh 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 12-10.
When asked about her semi-final win Jannia said, “It was one of the toughest matches of the tournament, I had lost 2 games and was trailing 2-5 in the third. I changed my strategy and pulled myself together to take the third game after that I thought about winning each point and making Amira work hard for the points. My strategy paid off as I was able to take the fourth and the fifth game winning the match. I look forward to playing Koel in the Finals as she is also an unseeded player I am sure it will be challenging and exciting.”
In the men’s category 20-year-old Velavan Senthilkumar shocked the players and fans alike by defeating the India No.10 Abhishek Agarwal 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 to reach the finals.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Pradhan sailed through to the finals defeating Ranjit Singh 11-7, 11-7, 11-6.
Men’s semi-finals: Abhishek Pradhan (1) bt Ranjit Singh (3/4) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6; Velavan Senthilkumar (3) bt Abhishek Agarwal (2) 11-5, 12-10, 11-8.
Girls U-19 semi-finals: Koel Shankar bt Tanaya M Parakh (3) 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-1, 11-8; Jannia Singh bt Amira Singh (5/8) 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 12-10.
Womens semi-finals: Urwashi Joshi (1) bt Mayuri Namasivayam (5/8)11-7 11-3 11-5; Akanksha Salunkhe – Sachika Balvani (2) retired.