Veer Chotrani was India’s bright spot as he progressed to the quarterfinal on a day when all other colleagues of his made their exit a round earlier in the World individual junior squash championship in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
The Asian junior champion edged out a higher seed Yannick Wilhelmi of Switzerland in four games.
Chotrani had started on a pensive note, even dropped the first game over extra points, but soon found his footing as he downed the man who had in the previous round accounted for India’s Yash Fadte in a close five-game encounter. Chotrani on the other hand had a fluent entry into the pre-quarterfinal with a straight game win over D. Khan of Canada.
“ t is a remarkable performance by Veer, following up on his Asian success,” said Cyrus Poncha, the SRFI Secretary General, while wishing him the best for the quarter-final.
Barring Chotrani it was a disappointing day for India. Baitha was a touch unlucky that he should have faced the second seed and that too an Egyptian El Torkey to lose without much of a fight. The women too were outclassed.
The focus will now be on Chotrani as he prepares for his last-eight match scheduled for Friday.
Results:
Men: (pre-quarter): Veer Chotrani bt Y. Wilhelmi (Swiss) 10-12, 11-6,11-8, 11-3; (R of 32) : Yash Fadte lost to Yannick Wilhelmi (Swiss) 15-13, 5-11, 11-7, 11-13, 6-11; Veer Chotrani bt D. Khan (Can) 11-2, 11-3, 4-11,11-8; Rahul Baitha lost to El Torkey (Egy) 9-11, 2-11, 4-11
Women: (R of 32) Yoshna Singh lost to C. Sin Yuk (Hkg) 3-11, 4-11, 4-11; Sanya Vats lost to A. Azman 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 6-11; Aishwarya Khubchandani lost to G. Adderley (SCO) 11-8, 8-11, 6-11,9-11.
