Memorable day for young Joshna

By S.R. Suryanarayan

CHENNAI, DEC. 16. Joshna Chinappa became the youngest and also the first women's champion from Tamil Nadu, while Ritwik Bhattacharya regained the men's title from the man who beat him last year, Manish Chotrani, as the 48th India Cements Senior National championship came to a rousing finish at the India Cements Academy courts on Saturday.

The championship in fact was something to cherish for the host, the Tamil Nadu Squash Rackets Association, for out of the five titles, four have been won by Tamil Nadu players. Balamurugan won the professionals' title, Srivatsan Subramaniam the over-35 years' and M. Meyyappan the over-45 years' titles.

Be that as it may, the evening truly belonged to the newly- crowned Chennai school girl, Joshna, an under-14 champion earlier, who certainly touched a brilliant phase after an uncertain start to outwit second-seeded Vaidehi Reddy, also of Tamil Nadu. Three months ago, on the very same court, Vaidehi had clinched the under-19 National title at Joshna's expense. It proved a different day today.

Both these girls are in the ongoing camp for the Asian Junior championship, to come off here in February next and so are used to each other's approach. Still, for the flourish Joshna, a student of Lady Andal school displayed, Vaidehi certainly looked clueless. ``I was not able to play my game,'' confessed the Good Shepherd girl Vaidehi after the downfall, while Joshna was profuse in praising the SRFI and national coach Cyrus Poncha for all the encouragement in the camp. ``What I have gained from the camp is to be focussed,'' she said and sure enough that was to pay rich dividends.

Sudden transformation

For all this, it was Vaidehi who set the tone, finding the range and bounce to her liking and leaving Joshna grimacing. Sudden was the transformation. Slowing down the game was Joshna's master stroke, as she repeatedly had Vaidehi fumbling in the front court with deft placings punctuated with down the line shots and boasts. Vaidehi could not regain the earlier rhythm, looked confused and as the contest wore on, began to move the wrong way. Uncertainty killed her confidence as Joshna ensured her victory.

Almost similar was the start of the men's final. The Mumbai businessman, Manish Chotrani meant business straightaway allowing little degree to manouevre for the Delhi professional, Ritwik.

When Manish dictates from the `T', he can clinically finish his opponents and Ritwik learnt it quickly to change gears. Stamina is one big plus point for Ritwik, not Chotrani's. Ritwik switched the ball around so cleverly and mixed the sharp down the line shots and soft volleys that Chotrani began to gasp, even slip in focus. When Ritwik blanked Chotrani, taking six points in a row in the second game, Chotrani's confidence dipped. Ritwik blanked him again in the third.

Ritwik is too shrewd to allow winning chances to go abegging. ``Seeing him swaying, I tightened my game,'' the Delhi champion was to tell of his successful ploy. Barring the brief attempt to come back in the fourth game, Chotrani just sank. ``I became nervous'' was the surprise sum-up by the beaten champion but he was not totally off mark there.

Mr Debendranath Sarangi, Revenue Secretary, who was the chief guest, gave away the prizes.

The results (all final):

Men: Ritwik Bhattacharya (Del) bt Manish Chotrani (Mah) 6-9, 9-0, 9-0, 9-6; Professionals: Balamurugan (TN) bt Mahesh Verma (Mah) 9-1, 9-7, 9-5; Over-35 yrs: Srivatsan Subramaniam (TN) bt Rohit Thawani (Mah) 9-5, 4-9, 9-5, 4-9, 9-7; Over-45 yrs: M. Meyyappan (TN) bt Rajiv Reddy (TN) 9-7, 9-6, 9-5.

Women: Joshna Chinappa (TN) bt Vaidehi Reddy (TN) 5-9, 9-2, 9-0, 9-6.

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