It required the hard work, skills and guile of India No 3 Surbhi Misra to help hosts enter the semifinal of the 13th Junior World Women’s Team Squash Championship.
It required the hard work, skills and guile of India No 3 Surbhi Misra to help hosts enter the semifinal of the 13th Junior World Women’s Team Squash Championship at the ICL Academy courts on Thursday.
This the first time since 2003, that Indian girls have reached the semifinal stage of a World Championship. India, who beat Canada 2-1 to make it to the semis, will take on Hong Kong. Top seeded Egypt will clash with the USA in the other semi-final.
Team coach Major S Manian was pleased with the result. “The encounter was much closer than expected. Surbhi played really well against a strongly defensive Jennifer Pelletier,” he told DNA.
Anwesha Reddy lost the opening match to Samantha Cornett. However, Dipika Pallikal then played strongly to defeat Laura Gemmel and Surbhi followed it up with a superb performance to clinch the semifinal spot.
Anwesha was totally out of sorts in the first game and lost 11-6 without a fight. However, she won the second game by an identical margin. The Indian girl quickly ran up a 6-1 lead in the third game with some fine backhand winners. But thereafter her game disintegrated and she lost the match.
Dipika played a tight game, never allowing her opponent an inch. Finishing off rallies at the earliest, she kept the pressure on her rival and drew India level with a win in 28 minutes.
Surbhi then got in to the act against a tenacious opponent, who did her best to keep the ball in play with her strongly defensive game. After a tough first game, which she won on extra points at 13-11, Surbhi won the second, but lost momentum to lose the third. However, she easily won the fourth game with some clean finishes and ensured there were no further hiccups for the host.
Results: Quarterfinals:
India beat Canada 2-1
Anwesha Reddy lost to Samantha Cornett 6-11 11-6 8-11 2-11; Dipika Pallikal beat Laura Gemmel 11-8 11-3 11-9; Surbhi Misra beat Jennifer Pelletier 13-11 11-8 3-11 11-6
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