Dipika makes final

India’s fast rising player, Dipika Pallikal kept the country’s hopes alive making the girls final even as Ravi Dixit and Aditya Jagtap went down fighting to higher-rated players in their respective semifinals of the 14th Asian Junior squash championship.

Second-seeded Pallikal was in her usual form, showing aggression from the beginning of her semifinal encounter against Korean Song Sung Mi.

However, the Indian committed a number of unforced errors while trying to experiment before finally winning the tie 11-6 11-4 13-11 in 31 minutes.

Pallikal will meet top-seed Low Wee Wern of Malaysia in the title round.

Wern overcame stiff resistance midway through the match to beat Liu Tsz Ling of Hong Kong 11-8 11-7 11-5 in 23 minutes.

In the boys’ semi-finals, Dixit warmed the hearts of the crowd with his wristy returns and intelligent drops from close to the wall but top-seed Leo Au of Hong Kong displayed his prowess well to win the match 13-11, 11-3, 11-6 in 39 minutes.

Jagtap went down fighting to second-seed Ivan Yuen of Malaysia (ranked 127 on the PSA) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9.

In Monday’s final, Pallikal, ranked 50 on the WISPA, needs to be more tactical and
focused in avoiding unforced errors if she wants to avenge her recent loss to Wern in the British Open Junior championship.