RESULTS: Indian Challenger, Chennai, India
1st round:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Anaka Alankamony (IND) 11-9, 11-3, 17-15 (32m)
[7] Tenille Swartz (RSA) bt [Q] Lakshya Ragvendra (IND) 11-3, 11-6, 11-3 (19m)
[3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (19m)
[5] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt [Q] Aparajitha Balamurukan (IND) 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-2 (44m)
[6] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (29m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Olga Ertlova (CZE) 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 (30m)
[8] Melody Francis (AUS) bt Adel Weir-Nunan (RSA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 (18m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Siyoli Waters (RSA) 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-0 (38m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [7] Tenille Swartz (RSA) 11-8, 14-12, 11-6 (34m)
[3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) bt [5] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (34m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [6] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [8] Melody Francis (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (27m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [3] Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 8-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (39m)
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [2] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6 (60m)
Final:
[1] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 8-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (39m)
Donna Dashes Home Hopes In Chennai
Australia’s Donna Urquhart dashed home hopes of success in the Women’s Indian Challenger when she beat Joshna Chinappa in the final of the WISPA World Tour 12 squash event at the Indian Squash Academy in the southern Indian city of Chennai.
It was after beating third-seeded compatriot Lisa Camilleri in the semi-finals that event favourite Urquhart, from New South Wales, reached her second successive WISPA Tour final, and the 12th of her career.
But Chinappa, the fourth seed from Chennai, made her breakthrough in the other semi where she beat higher-ranked national rival Dipika Pallikal, the No2 seed, in five games to also reach the 12th Tour final of her career.
And Chinappa, the reigning and ten times Indian national champion, took the opening game against Urquhart – and looked set to repeat her upset over the world No16 in their last meeting in Malaysia over two years ago.
But the Indian star, ranked 20 places lower, was unable to push on as Urquhart increased her variety of strokes to wrap up the match with confidence, winning 8-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 in 39 minutes.
“After losing the first game, I tightened up my serves as Joshna was able to return with elan,” explained the 24-year-old Australian left-hander afterwards. “I am happy that most often I succeeded with my double boasts and was able to push to the corner to score points.
“Mainly, I concentrated on my game instead of trying to counter Joshna today,” added Urquhart after securing her sixth WISPA Tour title.
The Chennai victory is the culmination of a superb month for Urquhart.
She reached the semi-final of the Cayman Islands Open, beating the world numbers three and five in successive matches, before making the final in Hong Kong last week.
She let Chinappa get away to a good start in the final before regrouping to win the next three games comfortably.
“I’m stoked to come away with a win, especially after losing in the final in Hong Kong last week,” Urquhart said later.
“It would have been disappointing to make two finals and not win either.
“I started off a bit slow today and wasn’t getting my length tight enough or deep enough, and Joshna came out firing hitting a lot of winners.
“I came on in the second and started hitting my marks and stopped her from being able to attack so much, and I knew if I could lengthen the rallies and put her under enough pressure at the back she would start making errors.
“I was able to stick to my game plan from then on and keep on top of her, not giving her a chance to get back into the match”
The world number 16 said her recent success had given her a massive confident boost.
“I am really happy with the way I’m playing at the moment and I am learning to believe in myself a lot more,” she said.
“I have gained confidence over the past few weeks as I feel I have proven to myself that I can match it with the top girls.”
