The Hindu : Sport / Squash : Shoaib Hassan clinches title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Sport

Sport - Squash

Shoaib Hassan clinches title

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: Shoaib Hassan played a match worth remembering when he outplayed India's Sourav Ghosal to win the men's title in the Northern India open squash championship here on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old Pakistani clinched so far the best prize of his budding career when he won the match 9-2, 5-9, 2-9, 9-1, 9-3 in just over one-and-a-half hours.

In fact, it was a clean sweep by Pakistan in the men's section, barring the boys' under-9 title that came India's way.

Four-time National champion, Mekhala Subedar spoiled Surbhi Mishra's party with her sustained approach in the women's (under-17) final. Mekhala won 9-4, 6-9, 9-4, 9-4.

Pakistan's Raza Yaqub won the under-17 title defeating India's Gunraj Singh 9-2, 9-0, 9-1. In the girls' final of the same category, Surbhi defeated Pakistan's Zoya 9-1, 9-3, 6-9, 2-9, 9-7. Harita Omprakash defeated Roshna Mehboob of Pakistan in the under-15 category, Sachika Ingale rallied to beat Krishna Thapa of Nepal in the under-13 class and Tanvi Khanna overcame Heba Johnson in an all-Indian under-11 final.

The results: All finals: Men: Shoaib Hassan (Pak) bt Sourav Ghosal (Ind) 9-2, 5-9, 2-9, 9-1, 9-3. Boys: Under-17: Raza Yaqub (Pak) bt Gunraj Singh (Ind) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1. Under-15: Aurangzeb Khan (Pak) bt Awais Rahim (Pak) 9-6, 2-9, 9-6, 9-4. Under-13: Hamza Bukhari (Pak) bt M. Haroon Rasheed (Pak) 6-9, 9-1, 9-1, 7-9, 9-1. Under-11: Ali Bukhari (Pak) bt Amaad Farid (Pak) 9-0, 2-9, 9-1, 10-8. Under-9: Ramit Bhargav bt Divyanshu Sharma 9-2, 9-4.

Women: Mekhala Subedar bt Surbhi Mishra 9-4, 6-9, 9-4, 9-4. Girls: Under-17: Surbhi Mishra (Ind) bt Zoya (Pak) 9-1, 9-3, 6-9, 2-9, 9-7. Under-15: Harita Omprakash (Ind) bt Roshna Mehboob (Pak) 9-0, 9-5, 9-0. Under-13: Sachika Ingale (Ind) bt Krishna Thapa (Nep) 3-9, 9-5, 1-9, 9-7, 10-8. Under-11: Tanvi Khanna (Ind) bt Heba Johnson (Ind) 9-0, 9-5, 5-9, 9-7.