Squash in India

A place to discuss developments in Indian squash

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kathiresan_v
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Post by kathiresan_v »

But there is a decline in Pakistan's performance in world stage from 1996. Jansher Khan won his record 8th world open championship in 1996 including the last five consecutive titles. Jansher not entered in 1997 championship held in Malaysia. The previous record holder is Jahangir Khan. Since y1996 no one from Pak reached even the quarterfinal stage.

Summary Of Winners (World Open / World Amateur Individual):

Maqsood Ahmed (Pak): 1977*
Steve Bowditch (Aus): 1981*
Rodney Eyles (Aus): 1997
Geoff Hunt (Aus): 1967* 1969* 1971* 1976 1979 1980
Jahangir Khan (Pak): 1979* 1981 1982 1983 1983* 1984 1985 1988
Jansher Khan (Pak): 1987 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
Rodney Martin (Aus): 1991
Peter Nicol (Sco): 1999
Cam Nancarrow (Aus): 1973*
Ross Norman (Nzl): 1986
David Palmer (Aus): 2002
Jonathon Power (Can): 1998
Kevin Shawcross (Aus): 1976*

* World Individual (Amateur) World Open

Besides Jahangir and Jansher, there is onle one Pak winner (world ametuer open champion) way back in 1977.

Kathir
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Post by BSharma »

Ritwik did not play today.

1st round:

[7] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Safeerullah Khan (PAK) 15-13, 15-11, 15-9 (35m)

[29] James Willstrop (ENG) bt Lee Drew (ENG) 15-8, 15-8, 15-8 (28m)

[21] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Cameron White (AUS) 15-11, 15-5, 15-9 (38m)

[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt Moh’d Essam Hafiz (EGY) 15-12, 15-5, 15-12 (45m)

[9] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Bradley Ball (ENG) 15-14, 15-11, 17-16 (39m)

Peter Genever (ENG) bt [22] Adrian Grant (ENG) 17-16, 15-13, 4-15, 15-5 (65m)

[5] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 15-8, 15-5, 15-11 (35m)

[31] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt Alister Walker (ENG) 15-9, 15-12, 15-12 (45m)

[15] Simon Parke (ENG) bt Ben Garner (ENG) 15-13, 17-16, 15-14 (50m)

[20] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Viktor Berg (CAN) 15-7, 15-11, 9-15, 15-13 (43m)
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Post by PKBasu »

To take up an old topic, Jahangir Khan's family had many other members who were world beaters. One brother won many world titles in the 60s, another cousin (with the last name Zaman, I think) won once in the 1970s, etc. Jansher Khan came from an unrelated family.
But since Jansher, there has not been another Pakistani player remotely close to being world champion (unlike, say, India's dominance in billiards, which has been enhanced over time).
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Post by BSharma »

Ritwik lost to the 8th seed Lee Beachill of England today. :(

Bottom Half, Mon 15th:
[25] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Dan Jenson (AUS)
[16] Mark Chaloner (ENG) v Michael Corren (AUS)
[19] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [Q] Saeed Hassan (PAK)
[6] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v Laurens Anjema (NED)
[24] Shahier Razik (CAN) v [Q] Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK)
[12] Martin Heath (SCO) v Tommy Berden (NED)
[18] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) v [Q] Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) v Shahid Zaman (PAK)
[23] Nick Taylor (ENG) v John Williams (AUS)
[14] Graham Ryding (CAN) v [Q] Peter Barker (ENG)
[32] Farrukh Zaman (PAK) v Borja Golan (ESP)
[8] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt [Q] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 15-7,10-15,15-13, 15-10(41m)
[17] Alex Gough (WAL) bt Joey Barrington (ENG) 15-9, 15-12, 8-15, 15-11 (74m)
[11] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt Liam Kenny (IRL) 15-8, 15-11, 15-9 (36m)
[Q] John Rooney (IRL) bt [27] Stefan Casteleyn (BEL) 9-3 ret. (11m)
[2] John White (SCO) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 15-11, 15-12, 15-13 (49m)
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Post by PKBasu »

Tough match from Ritwik, who gave a bit of a scare to the 8th seed, winning one game and almost taking the next (which might have transformed the outcome). He is improving steadily.
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Post by kathiresan_v »

Unlucky to get a highly seeded player in the first round and still not a bad display. Hope more in year 2004.

Kathir
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25th Men's World Open Championship, Lahore Pakistan

Post by BSharma »

Another first round result:

26] Rodney Durbach (RSA) bt [Q] Raj Nanda (AUS) 15-13, 15-2, 15-7 (28m)
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Post by kathiresan_v »

Ritwik is the first indian qualified in for main draw of World Open Championship.

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Post by PKBasu »

Before the World Open championships started (in the 1970s) the most important event was the British Open (like Wimbledon in tennis and the All England in badminton). This is what Jahangir's brother/cousin won umpteen number of times until Jahangir himself beat his record, if I remember right.
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Post by BSharma »

Here is a sample of the match report of Ritwik's match. Read the full report in SquashTalk in the link and it is a long one written by people who know the game.

"India’s Ritwik Bhattacharya is another player that Joe and I have heard and read about, but never had a chance to see. So we were happy to watch how he went against Beachill – the current inform player.

"From the 2nd game onwards he (Ritwik) showed that he was every bit as impressive in his own way. Joe and I had an argument while watching this match. I went as far as saying Ritwik’s backhand would probably be the hardest hitting on the tour. Joe thought it was probably ‘as hard’ as McWhitey, but not harder. Regardless it’s bloody hard, particularly from an off-balance position or when the ball was behind him. He didn’t end up beating Beachill, losing in 4, but he got ridiculously close to doing so. The scores were tied one game each and 12-12 in the third. If Ritwik could have won the next three points rather than lose them it would have been very interesting. Let’s not forget that Beachill last week showed he was the best player at a tournament that had everyone there. Ritwik had to qualify to make the main draw of this tournament. He matched Beachill in most areas around the court as they both gave each other a nasty work out."


Seems like Ritwik played a heck of a match against one of the top in-form players in the world. Good job, Ritwik. :D

Round Day 2
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Post by BSharma »

Here is another link to a story about Ritwik's match that shows the humorous side of his personality. Here is the verbal exchange between the two players, in case the link gets deleted in the future.

"The match brought some stout resistance from the Indian qualifier and one humorous exchange when Bhattacharya reacted to the award of a penalty stroke against him by appealing to the referee and saying to Beachill: "You wouldn't have hit me."

Beachill paused before saying: "You would have hit me." But Bhattacharya came back with the immediate and laughter-making quip: "With good reason."


Ritwik was happy to become the first Indian to play in the World Open and I liked what he said, "... when India can produce world champions in other sports why cant we achieve that in squash?"

We now have Indians playing in the top tier of three more sports - squash, golf and athletics - something we have not done for quite some time..

White issues a warning
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Post by kathiresan_v »

Good catches Bushanji....

Great...Ritwik's talent is apprehended and expect more noises in year 2004.

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Post by jayakris »

Alright, we have another name to start creating some noiose about, here .. Cool!

Go Ritwik! ..

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Post by BSharma »

Although there were at least 7 Pakistanis in the main draw only two have moved into the second round. Arshad Burki came up with a five set upset of Shahier Razik of Canada 15-13, 3-15, 10-15, 17-14, 15-8, and the 13th seed Mansoor Zaman defeated Lars Harms in straight sets. Olli Tuominen (FIN)(21) beat Zaman in the second round 11-15 15-10 15-8 17-15. Arshad Iqbal Burki will play Tommy Berden in the second round.

I agree with Kathir and Jay that Ritwik will create some noise in 2004. :D
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Post by BSharma »

The Pakistani challenge at the World Open in Lahore came to an end when their second player lost in the second round. Lee Beachill who had defeated Ritwik in a tough first round match easily beat Borja Golan (ESP) in straight sets in 26 minutes.

Tommy Berden (NED) bt [Q] Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) 12-15,10-15,15-6,15-13,15-9 (106 m)
[8] Lee Beachill (ENG) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 15-5, 15-7, 15-6 (26m)
[25] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [16] Mark Chaloner (ENG) 17-16, 15-9, 13-15, 15-10 (71m)
[19] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt [6] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 15-13,10-15,3-15,15-12,15-5 (67m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [18] Omar Elborolossy (EGY) 15-9, 15-12, 15-7 (49m)
[23] Nick Taylor (ENG) bt [14] Graham Ryding (CAN) 15-12, 15-6, 15-9 (45m)
[11] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) bt [17] Alex Gough (WAL) 15-7, 15-12, 10-15, 15-7 (66m)
[2] John White (SCO) bt [Q] John Rooney (IRL) 15-13, 15-6, 15-12 (36m)
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