Saurav, Alisha, Vaidehi and Joshna enter finals

By Raju Chainani

KUALA LUMPUR, JUNE 2. Saurav Ghoshal continued his splendid run in the boys under-15 event at the Milo Malaysian junior squash International with a 9-1, 9-5, 9-4 win over Australia's Risto Krauss on Saturday and goes for gold on Sunday against Kapil Nesan of Malaysia.

Mumbai's top seeded Alisha Mashruwala had a straight games win over Kimberley Bessell (Australia) and she takes on local lass Nabilla Ariffin in the girls under-13 final. The Chennai duo of Joshna Chinappa and Vaidehi Reddy have ensured India of one title as they set up a clash in the under-17 final but both had testing times on Saturday afternoon.

Ghoshal's opponent was Queensland's number one under- 15 player. But, as Risto Krauss soon found out, the Indian was on a streak. He ran away with the opener, made light of a 1-5 deficit in the second and powered his way from 1-4 in the third to win sylishly. There was little the boy from Mareeba could do as the `Prince of Indian squash' put him to the sword.

It is not often that one hers of an Indian player defeating an Australian. It became two in two as Alisha Mashruwala whipped Kimberley Bassell and the manner in which she has played so far suggest there are better things to come. These two wins were for appetisers as Joshna Chinappa and Vaidehi Reddy were still to play.

Chinappa had to raise her game and rally from 1-2 down to defeat Australia's Cherelle Kelly 9-4, 5-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-4. Service changed hands eight times at 8-7 in the fourth before the Chennai lass took the match into the decider. Here she led 4-0, lost her way a bit as Kelly fought back to 4-5 but the finish from Chinappa was lethal as three backhand volleys settled the issue.

Her compatriot Vaidehi surprisingly lost the second game to Malaysia's Sally Looi after having run through the opener. The match could have gone to the fifth but it was Reddy who had the final say, albeit by a score of 10-9 in the fourth.

The stage is set for another showdown between these two Chennai girls and on these courts nobody would put their mortgage on choosing a winner.

The results (semifinals):

Boys under-11: 1-Spencer Davis (Aus) bt Vincent Chew (Mal) 9-7, 9-0, 9-1; 2-Ivan Yuen (Mal) bt Kamran Khan (Mal) 9-5, 9-7, 9-7.

Boys under-13: 1-Elvinn Keo (Mal) bt Lim Tu Tjun (Mal) 9-6, 9-2, 9-3; 2-Mat Reece (Aus) bt Jerry Foo (Mal) 9-0, 9-4, 10-8.

Boys under-15: Saurav Ghoshal (Ind) bt Risto Krauss (Aus) 9-1, 9- 5, 9-4; 2-Kapil Nesan (Mal) bt Mohd Afzar Azan (Mal) 9-2, 9-2, 8- 10, 9-5.

Boys under-17: 1-Jhie Gough (Aus) bat Dick Lau Siu Wai (Hong Kong) 9-3, 9-6, 3-9, 9-0; 2-Dylan Bennett (Ned) bt Timothy Arnold (Mal) 9-7, 10-9, 9-6.

Boys under-19: 1-Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Mal) bt Dylan Bennett (Ned) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1; 2-Mubashir Gul (Pak) bt Kelvin Ho (Mal) 9-0, 9-6, 9-0.

Girls under-11: 1-Zulijah Azan (Mal) bt Jeshila Maniam (Mal) 9-3, 9-4, 9-1; Chua Wen Ya (Sin) bt 2- Nesserine Ariffin (Mal) 9-0, 10-9, 9-1.

Girls under-13: 1-Alisha Mashruwala (Ind) bt Kimberley Bessell (Aus) 9-5, 9-4, 9-3; 2-Nabilla Ariffin (Mal) bt Low Wee Wern (Mal) 10-9, 9-3, 9-0.

Girls under-15: 1-Skye Miller (Aus) bt Munirah Arif Kor (Mal) 9- 0, 9-4, 9-3; 2-June Tiong (Mal) bt Ho Baoxia (Sin) 9-0, 9-0, 9-1.

Girls under-17: 1-Joshna Chinappa (Ind) bt Cherelle Kelly (Aus) 9-4, 5-9, 5-9, 9-7, 9-4; 2-Vaidehi Reddy (Ind) bt Sally Looi (Mal) 9-0, 5-9, 9-4, 10-9.

Girls under-19: 1-Tricia Chuah (Mal) bt Georgina Davis (Aus) 9-3, 9-5, 9-4; 2-Kristy Knight (Aus) bt Tracey Michell (Aus) 9-10, 4- 9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-4.

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