All eyes will be on Chennai squash sensation Dipika Reccba Pallikal when the 13th World Junior women’s squash championship gets underway in Chennai.
All eyes will be on Chennai squash sensation Dipika Reccba Pallikal when the 13th World Junior women’s squash championship gets underway in Chennai from August 29. This is the first time when both men’s and women’s juniors are being held simultaneously.
“In all 16 teams will vie for top honours in the team championship, while there are 11 are taking part in the individual events,” tournament director Cyrus Poncha told DNA from Chennai. He was optimistic that Dipika could become the first Indian to win the championship.
But, he was cynical about the men, but he said that making it to the semifinal or even the quarters would be a great achievement. “Mumbai lad Mahesh Mangaonkar is a new kid on the block, although he is just 16 but the exposure will do good to him,” added Poncha.
Dipika does not want to think about the championship, as she is prepared to take each match at a time. “I will take one match at a time and my training in Cairo should come in handy,” said Dipika who has got the top billing in the championship.
The Squash Racket federation of India (SRFI) has begun a campaign to have an annual individual event included in the World Squash Federation calendar (WSF). After some deliberation at the highest level in the WSF, the proposal was finally accepted. India was given the honour of organising the inaugural stand-alone junior championship.
Dipika who started her career at the Indian Squash Academy will expect strong opposition from second seed Heba El Torky from Egypt, Laura Gemmell from Canada and Egyptian Nour El Tyeb.
Seedings
Men: 1. Mohamed El Shourbagy (Egy), 2. Iven Yuen (Mas), 3. Karim Abdel Gawad (Egy), 4. Andrew Wagih Shouary (Egy), 5. Alfredo Avila (Mex), 6. Amr Khalifa (Egy), 7. Henkir Mostinen (Fin), 8. Farhan Zaman (Pak)
Women: 1. Dipika Pallikal (Ind), 2. Heba El Torky (Egy), 3. Laura Gemmell (Can), 4. Nour El Tyeb (Egy), 5. Nouran El Torky (Egy), 6. Low Wee Nee (Mas), 7. Olivia Blatchford (US), 8. Maria Toor Pakay
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