At the prize distribution function of KG-NECC Mumbai Open Squash Championship from L to R standing Ashish Gupta (President, ISP), Gopi Mohite (Winner, Over-35), Sanjay Goyal  (Secretary General, ISP), Sundar Sadhnani (President, Khar Gymkhana), Noreena (Vice-President, ISP), Praveen Jain (Director, NECC), Abdul Shaikh (Squash Coach, Canada), Mahendra Agarwal (Founder Director, ISP), and winners Abhishek Pradhan (Winner in Boys u-15), Sandeep Jangra (Winner in Boys u-19) and Manish Chotrani (Winner in Men's Open). 

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All Results :

All finals : 
Men's: 1-Manish Chotrani bt 2-Vikas Jangra 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4.

Boys' u-19 : 1-Sandeep Jangra bt 2-Vikram Malhotra 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4.

Boys' u-15 : 1-Abhishek Pradhan bt Ajan Jayant 11-3, 11-8, 13-11.

Women's : 1-Sachika Balwani bt Kiran Mirpuri 11-1, 11-7, 11-1.

Men's over-35 : 2-Gopi Mohite bt 1-Jahangir Surti 6-11, 4-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7

Semifinals : 

Boys u-19 : 
1-Sandeep Jangra bt Karun Kumar 11-1, 11-5, 11-4.
Boys u-15 : 
1-Abhishek Pradhan bt Dheerav Moolani 11-8, 11-3, 11-4; 
Ajan Jayant bt Rikhil Parsram 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6.

Women's : 
1-Sachika Balwani bt Avani Shetty 11-7, 11-8, 11-5; 
Kiran Mirpuri bt Ashween Anand 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7.

Quarter finals

Men's : 
1-Manish Chotrani bt Ravneet Singh 11-3, 11-8, 11-7; 
4-Sandeep Jangra bt Vijay Waghela 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8; 
2-Vikas Jangra bt Dhiraj Nagpal 11-6, 11-3, 11-6.

Boys u-19 : 
Karun Kumar bt Virendra Pawar 12-14, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5; 
2-Vikram Malhotra bt Ajaz Shaikh 11-3, 11-5, 14-12.

Boys u-15 : 
1-Abhishek Pradhan bt Agastya Sahstri 11-0, 11-2, 11-3; 
Dheerav Moolani bt Samir Mistry 11-9, 11-4, 11-5.

Press Articles of the tournament :

Jangra, Sachika in finals
(Article in Hindustan Times, Mumbai : 12/4/ 2006)

SANDEEP JHANGRA, the boys under-19 top seed, made it to the singles final with ease, but dropped a set to seasoned professionals Vijay Waghela before reaching the men’s singles semi finals of the KG-NECC Mumbai Open Squash Championship here on Tuesday.

While Jangra hardly broke a sweat in brushing aside the challenge of fourth seed Karan Kumar, winning 11-1, 11-5, 11-5 in 25 minutes to make the boys under-19 final, he was given a run for his money by Waghela before he prevailed 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8. he now meets top seed Manish Chotrani, who outplayed Ranveet Singh 11-3, 11-8, 11-7.

Young Sachika Balwani also ensured her place in the limelight when she defeated Avani Shetty 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 to reach the women’s singles final. She take on Kiran Mirpori, who dropped a set before defeating Ashween Anand 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7.

In the men’s singles quarterfinals, Jangra began at a fast clip against Waghela, racing to a two game lead in a jiffy  before Waghela put a broken on the proceedings by slowly the pace of the game.

Engaging his opponent in long rallies, Waghela forced errors from Jangra, winning the game 11-9. he also managed to keep things close till 5-5 in the fourth. However, Waghela, who had a five-game win the previous day, began tiring and younger Jangra pulled away for a 11-8 win.

But What’s The Use?

Despite Winning Titles, The  SRFI Has Laways Ignored Chotrani
(Article in Mid- Day,  Mumbai : 13/4/ 2006)

Manish Chotrani came up with yet another splendid performance to defeat Vikas Jangra 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 5-11, and 11-4) in the final of men’s ISP-SRAM Khar Gymkhana NECC Squash Open Championships yesterday. This was Chotrani’s second title in five-days after the 35-years-old pocketed  the Top-8 squash tournament at Otters Club on Saturday.

Chotrani was inspirational in the first two sets. Jangra stole the thunder in the third set with some exemplary play but gave it up in the fourth set.

“Vikas carried a preconceived notion that I was exhausted after the third set. But, I was fresh enough to take him by surprise,” said Chotrani, often overlooked by Squash Rackets Federation of India for international tournaments.

“SRFI is looking for young talent and I am completely neglected despite winning many tournament in Maharashtra,” added the two-time national champion.

Sachika, Reach Final In Women’s Section
(Article in DNA, Mumbai :  12/4 2006)

Sandeep Jangra, the boy under-19 top seed, comfortably entered the singles final beating fourth seed Karun Kumar 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 in the semifinals of the KG-NECC Mumbai Open Squash Championships at the Khar Gymkhana on Tuesday. It took Sandeep hardly 25 minutes to set aside a meek challenge by the fourth seed.

Earlier, Sandeep, who has also entered in the men’s category was given a run for his money by Vijay Waghela before the former triumphed 11-4, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 to each the last four. With this win, the 18-years-old set up a clash with top seed Manish Chotrani, who gave a vintage display to get the better of Ravneet Singh 11-3, 11-8, 11-7.

Beginning his match at a fast pace against Waghela, Sandeep raced to a two-game lead in a jiffy but Waghela bounced back and applied brakes on the proceedings by slowly down the pace of the game. Engaging his opponent in long rallies, Waghela forced errors from Sandeep, winning the third game 11-9. however, Waghela, who had a five game win the previous day, was betrayed by his stamina and Sandeep managed to pull off a 3-1 win.

Meanwhile, in the women’s open category, top seed Sachika Balwani ensured a place in the final when she beat Avani Shetty 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.

Balwani will clash with Kiran Mirpori who overcame Ashween Anand 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7.

Manish Wins A Thriller
Budding Sachika Balwani stuns seasoned Kiran Mirpori
(Article in DNA, Mumbai :  13/4/ 2006)

Manish Chotrani quelled the charge of Vikas Jangra in a four-game thriller to lift the men’s singles title in the KG-NECC Mumbai Open Sqaush Championship, which concluded at the Khar Gymkhana courts here on Wednesday.

Chotrani matched the fitter and younger Jangra from Indian Navy stroke, racing to a two-game lead before taking a breather of sorts in the third, and coming back in the fourth strongly to demolish the second-seeded player. Chotrani won 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4 to pocket the winner’s purse of Rs.8,000/-. It was Chotrani’s second major title in four days, having won the ISP-Maharshtra Top 8 event.

Meanwhile, young Sachika Balwani has been taking giant steps towards the senior ranks of women’s squash in the country. Sachika routed Kiran Mirpuri 11-1, 11-7, 11-1 to lift the women’s title.

Sachika, no more the frail lass she was when she began her career, was never in trouble against the taller and physically stronger Mirpuri, aged 26 but a relative newcomer to the sport. Sachika, who is now off to play in the German Open, took home Rs.4,000/-.

In the boys’ under-19 final, a sudden bout of boredom and complacency seemed to have overcome Vikram Malhotra as he just shut off while leading 8-4 in the second game, after having won the first game 11-9 to end up eventual loser against top seed Sandeep Jangra. Sandeep Jangra prevailed 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4.

Also making heavy weather of his match was Abhishek Pradhan. Against Ajan Jayant, who was playing his first squash final, Pradhan managed to pull off a 11-3, 11-8, 13-11 victory. Having come into this match after playing a doubles encounter, Pradhan appeared a bit stiff on court not having warmed up enough before the match. With his movements on court hampered, Jayant was successful in taking points off Pradhan and it was only when he drew level at 11-11 did Pradhan woke up from his slumber, taking the next two points to seal the title.