ISP Squash
 
   
   
 

SWITCHER-THE LEELA SQUASH TOURNAMENT (Top-8 in Men/Women/ Junior Under-19 by invitation)

  At Hotel The Leela, Mumbai : (25.2.2000)
   

At the Prize Distribution Function of the SWITCHER-THE LEELA Squash Invitation Tournament from the left to right: Rohitash Gaikwad (Health Club Manager), Joshna Chinappa (Women’s Runners up), Bikram Uberoi (Men’s Runners up), Manish Chotrani (Men’s winner), Sanjay Manjrekar (Chief Guest & Cricketer), Robin Cornelius (CEO, Switcher), Junaid Nathani (Under-19, Winner), Deepali Anvekar (Winner in Women’s category), Vishal Kapoor (Runners Up in Under-19 category), Rakesh Lakhanpal (Director, Switcher) & Vijay Sethi (Resident Manager, Hotel The Leela)

Click here for more photographs

 

All Results

Finals:
Men: Manish Chotrani beat Bikram Uberoi 11-15/15-11/15-3/17-15
Women: Deepali Anvekar beat Joshna Chinappa 15-13/15-6/15-6
Boys under - 19: Junaid Nathani beat Vishal Kapoor 15-9/15-13/3-15/15-8
Semi Finals
Men:
Bikram Uberoi bt Anshul Manchanda 15-10/15-8/15-8.
Manish Chotrani bt Santosh More 15-5/15-9/15-10.
Women:

Joshna Chinappa bt Priyanka Yadav 15-11/15-13/15-8.
Deepali Anvekar bt Anaita Dhalla  15-2/15-5/15-4.
Boys U-19:
Junaid Nathani bt Deepak Yadav 15-8/15-6/15-11.
Vishal Kapoor bt Supreet Singh 15-8/15-9/15-5.

  
  

Press Articles of tournament : 

Anvekar in final Chinappa to meet
(Article in Mid-Day, Mumbai : 25/2/2000)

Joshna Chinappa from Chennai proved that she is ready to make a mark in the senior ranks of Indian squash, when she defeated Priyanka Yadav in straight games in the women’s  semi-finals of the Switcher All-India Prize Money Invitation Squash Tournament at the glass court of The Leela yesterday. 

Yadav, who has been improving by leaps and bounds in the short period that she has taken to the game, put up a spirited show, but could not match the court-craft and playing skills of Joshna. The Chennai lass prevailed 15-11, 15-11, 15-8. 

Joshna will take on Deepali Anvekar in the title round for the top prize of Rs.6,000. Deepali had a relatively easy 15-8, 15-9, 15-5 victory over Anahita Dhalla. 

In the boy’s under-19, Junaid Nathani ended the run of Jindal Sports Club’s Deepak Yadav, Junaid prevailed 15-8, 15-9, 15-5 and will take on Vishal Kapoor, who got the better of Supreet Singh at 15-8, 15-9, 15-5. 

The men’s semi-finals will pit national champion Manish Chotrani against Santosh More and collegiate champion Anshul Manchanda versus junior Asian Champion Bikram Uberoi.

 

Fit or unfit, Uberoi wasn’t good enough
(Article in Mid-Day, Mumbai : 28/2/2000)

There is a famous saying amongst those who have reached the pinnacle of squash- “When the court door closes, the match begins.” 

It is a line that young Bikram Uberoi would do well to learn. He was in the men’s final of the Switcher All-India invitational event, won the first game against national champion Manish Chotrani and then it was tantrum time. 

Uberoi suggested he had a back problem. If this was the case, why play the final and risk aggravating an injury? To make comments later that he had won the first game and could have gone on to beat Chotrani is imaginative. 

No match is over till the last point is played. Uberoi wasn’t fit enough, wasn’t good enough to last the distance. 

The Uberoi tamasha spiced up the evening at the air-conditioned Hotel Leela court. The boy’s under-19 final was an Otters Club affair with Junaid Nathani beating Vishal Kapoor in four games. The boys from Bandra continue to dominate the scene. The seeds won by Meherwan Daruwala a decade ago have blossomed.

 

Chotrani, Anvekar triumph
(Article in Afternoon, Mumbai : 28/2/2000)

National Champion Manish Chotrani was made to fight for every penny of the top prize of Rs.6,000 by junior Asian champion Bikram Uberoi in the final of the Switcher All-India prize money invitation squash tournament, at the glass back court of the The Leela last week. 

Chotrani, ten years elder to the 19-years old Uberoi but still superbly fit had to draw on all his reserves to quell the challenge of the talented teenager, winning 11-15, 15-11, 15-3, 17-15. 

The title in the women’s section went to Deepali Anvekar, who beat Chennai’s Joshna Chinappa 15-13, 15-6, 15-6 to take home the top prize of Rs.4,000. In the boy’s under-19 final, Junaid Nathani dropped a game to Vishal Kapoor before winning 15-9, 15-13, 3-15, 15-8 for the top prize of Rs.4,000. 

In fact, if Uberoi had not aggravated an old hamstring injury in the first game, which he won, the end may well have been different. He asked for a ten minute injury break then, but was never the same. Chotrani won the next two relatively easily, and was not prepared for the spirited fight Uberoi put up in the fourth. Scores went neck to neck till 11-11, before Chotrani took a 13-11 lead. Scored were level once again till 14-14, after which Chotrani, judging Uberoi’s weakening physical state opted for three points. He then own 17-15. Uberoi had to be content with the runners-up purse of Rs.4,000.

 

Anvekar wins
(Article in The Hindu, Mumbai : 26/2/2000)

The bludgeoning power of National champion Deepali Anvekar saw her rally from 12-13 in the opener and go on to a 15-13, 15-6, 15-6 score line against Chennai’s Joshna Chinappa in the women’s final of the Rs.40,000 Switcher All-India squash championship.

Chinappa, 14, had match strides with her opponent in the early part of this 14 minute encounter. Unfortunately, she slipped when leading 13-12 and Anvekar was left with the court at her mercy. Having leveled the score, Anvekar went from strength. 

It was Anvekar’s seventh title in the last six months, She had previously been successful in the Western India, Maharashtra State, Little Masters, Otters Junior Open, Air-India SRAM Championship and most important, the Nationals at Chennai. But this is her last year in the under-19 ranks and with Chinappa catching up, slowly but surely, the stage is set for the Chennai youngster to take over the throne. 

Former National professionals champion Chandrakant Pawar refereed the women’s final. Joshna was unlucky in the first game which is very important in any match. She slipped, tried in vain to recover but it did not come off. I saw her play Deepali at Otters Club last year. Both have improved. Deepali is physically stronger and she uses her power effectively. But, I feel Joshna will be wiser for her effort today,” he said. 

Anvekar took home the winner’s cheque of Rs.6,000 whilst Chinappa had to settle for the runners-up prize of Rs.4,000.

 

Chotrani tops Uberoi in final
(Article in Free Press Journal, Mumbai : 29/2/2000)

National champion Manish Chotrani was made to fight for every penny of his top prize of Rs.6,000 by junior Asian champion on Bikram Uberoi in the final of the Switcher All-India prize money invitation squash tournament, at the glass back court of The Leela, on Friday. 

Chotrani, 10 years elder to the 19-year old Uberoi, but still superbly fit had to draw on all his reserves to quell, the challenge of the talented teenager winning, 11-15, 15-11, 15-3, 17-15. 

The title in the women’s section went to Deepali Anvekar, who beat Chennai’s Joshna Chinappa 15-13, 15-6, 15-6 to take home the top prize of Rs.4,000. 

In the boys under-19 final, Junaid Nathani dropped a game to Vishal Kapoor before winning 15-9, 15-13,  3-15, 15-8 for the top prize of Rs.4000. 

In fact, if Uberoi had not aggravated an old hamstring injury in the first game, which he won, the end may well have been different. He asked for a ten minute injury break then, but was never the same. 

Chotrani won the next two relatively easily, and was not prepared for the spirited fight Uberoi put up in the fourth. 

Scores went neck to neck till 11-11, before Chotrani took a 13-11 lead. Scored were level once again till 14-14, after which Chotrani, judging Uberoi’s weakening physical state opted for three points. He then own 17-15.

Uberoi had to be content with the runners-up purse of Rs.4,000.

Former Indian cricket star Sanjay Manjrekar did the honours of giving away the prizes to the winners and runners-up.

 

Yadav rallies, downs Gracious in 1st round
(Article in Asian Age, Mumbai : 24/2/2000)

Deepak Yadav provided an explosive start to the Switcher all-India prize money invitational squash tournament at the glass courts of The Leela on Wednesday.  Yadav of Jindal Sports Club, Vashind won a thrilling five-setter against Willingdon Sports Club's Rohan Gracious.  Yadav recovered after dropping the first two games a register a 11-15, 6-15, 17-15, 15-11, 17-16 win over Gracious and advance into the second round of the boys under-19 competition.

Also advancing was Vishal Kapoor with a straight games victory over Yogin Thakur at 15-6, 15-6, 15-9.

In the men's section, Anshul Manchanda also dropped a game before beating Amit Pal Kohli 15-9, 13-15, 15-9, 15-12.

 

Chinappa enters final
(Article in The Hindu, Mumbai : 25/2/2000)

Chennai’s Joshna Chinappa defeated local lass Priyanka Yadav 15-11, 15-13, 15-8 to enter the final of the women’s event at Rs.40,000 Switcher All-India Invitation Squash championship at the  Hotel Leela air-conditioned court. Chinappa, the number two seed, plays National Junior champion Deepali Anvekar of Friday. 

Chinappa’s win took 44 minutes and though the score line suggest it was a close affair in the first and second games, she had enough up her sleeve at the finishing post. Yadav has come up a lot and has beaten India international Supriya Balsekar in the last two tournaments. 

The second semi-finals was an all Mumbai affair and saw Anvekar dispose off Anaita Dhalla 15-2, 15-5, 15-4. Anvekar defeated Chinappa in four games at the Otters Club junior Open last year. Since then, the Chennai youngster has won the Scottish Junior under-15 and has improved. 

“Anvekar has been unbeaten this season and is playing well. But, she cannot take things for granted as Chinappa is a fighter.” Said Tournament Director Mahendra Agarwal.

 

Chotrani, Deepali emerge supreme
(Article in Indian Express, Mumbai : 26/02/2000)

National champion Manish Chotrani won the title and Rs.6000/- in the switcher All-India prize money Invitation squash tournament at The Leela on Friday. Chotrani quelled the challenge of Bikram Uberoi 11-15, 15-11, 15-3, 17-15 in the men’s final. In the women’s final Deepali Anvekar beat Chennai’s Joshna Chinappa 15-13, 15-6, 15-6 to take home Rs.4000/-.

 

 Ritwik ruled out
(Article in Times of India, Mumbai : 23/02/2000)

The switcher All-India Invitation prize money squash tournament gets underway on the glass –back courts of The Leela on Wednesday and will conclude on Friday. 

National champions among the men and women, Manish Chotrani and Mekhala Subedar lead the challenge among the top men and women players that will vie for the top prize of Rs.6, 000/- respectively. A last minute dropout has been national runner-up and professional Ritwik Bhattacharya, due to a back injury he sustained during practice.

  

The leela Squash
(Article in Free Press Journal, Mumbai : 15/2/2000)

National champion Manish Chotrani and Mekhala Subedar will lead the galaxy of squash stars that will feature in the Switcher-The Leela Squash Tournament. 

India’s top eight players from among the men, women and boys under-19 each will be in action in the glass-back squash courts of The Leela in this prize money invitational tournament that will be played from February 23 to 25. 

From among the players who have already confirmed their participation are former national champion and current professional Ritwik Bhattacharya, Mumbai University champion Anshul Manchanda, Niraj Shirgaokar, Saket Wali and Amitpal Kohli. Among the women, Mekhala will once again face a tough challenge from the fast-improving Deepali Anvekar. 

Bikram Uberoi, recent winner of the Asian Junior Circuit tournament at Chennai, leads the challenge among the boys under-19 and will face competition from players like Mihir Kapoor, Vishal Kapoor and Mihir Seth. 

The top prize for the men and women is Rs.6,000/- with the runners-up getting Rs.4,000/- each, the winner in the boys under-19 will be richer of Rs.4,000 with the runners-up getting Rs.2,000/-. 

The last date for confirming individual is February 16 for outstation players and February 19 for players from the state of Maharashtra.

30th Tournament Organised by ISP

HOME