Date:01/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/08/01/stories/2004080106841700.htm

Sport - Squash

Siddharth takes honours

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, JULY 31. Second seed Siddharth Suchde pulled off a stunning five-game victory over top seed and India's top pro Ritwik Bhattacharya 15-8, 15-8, 8-15, 9-15, 15-4 for the men's title in the Rs. 6 lakh Herald Maritime squash Open on Saturday.

The Harvard alumni, playing his second tournament in India this season, outlasted the experienced Delhi-based pro over 80 minutes of pulsating action at the Otters Club courts, watched by squash legend Jehangir Khan, president of World Squash Federation.

Suchde's control and endurance had came to the fore earlier in Friday's semifinal against former National champion Manish Chotrani, seeded third. The champion deserved every bit of the Rs. 1 lakh purse on offer in this event, the runner-up ending up with Rs. 50,000.

In the boys' section, top seeds Vikram Malhotra (Under-15) and Rushabh Vora (Under-19) maintained their stranglehold by defeating Laxman Joshi and Manek Mathur respectively in the final.

The results:

Men's final: 2-Siddharth Suchde bt 1-Ritwik Bhattacharya 15-8, 15-8, 8-15, 9-15, 15-4. Semifinals: 2-S. Suchde bt 3-Manish Chotrani 15-13, 15-12, 10-15, 15-5.

Boys' under-15 final: 1-Vikram Malhotra bt 2-Laxman Joshi 15-13, 15-6, 15-10.

Under-19 final: 1- Rushabh Vora bt 2-Manek Mathur 15-7, 15-11, 9-15, 15-8.

Men's over-40: Deepak Kochar bt Chetan Ladiwala 11-15, 15-11, 15-11, 15-11.