BOMBAY GYMKHANA - SRAM MAHARASHTRA LEAGUE 2008

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Ravi Jagtap, Niraj Shirgaokar clinch title for Team Willstrop

Pradeep Vijayakar | tnn

As on 22nd June 2008

Ravi Jagtap jets around the world trying to further the squash career of his son India 's u-17 champ Aditya Jagtap, ranked No 7 in the world. On Sunday the 44-year-old experienced some of the pleasures of winning titles that his son does when winning one of two crucial ties that helped Team Willstrop claim the title in the inaugural Bombay Gymkhana-SRAM Squash League at the Bombay Gymkhana courts. The league was played over one and half months with players of various ages from 8 to 60-plus Ravi Puri from the city and Pune spread over the eight teams.

The team, named after England 's world-class player James Willstrop beat Team Shabana named after four-time world champ from Egypt, Amr with a 4-3 score line.

Jagtap won a close tie against a younger pro from Bombay Gymkhana Manish Chavan 3-2. The other crucial tie was won by skipper Niraj Shirgaokar who outmaneuvered the younger Cyrus Vakil 3-1. With former international Manish Chotrani, with a stiff handicap of minus 9, losing to Yudhvir Katoch 2-3, the match hung on the seventh and last tie between Naveen Jangra and the seasoned Raj Arora. Navin won 3-0. Skipper Shirgaokar paid tribute to Sachin Jadhav who won most of his ties and to the younger kids in the team like Pranay Merchant. The losers missed Vikram Malhotra who in in Chennai preparing for the Asian Juniors.

Team Palmer beat Team Mathew 4-1 to claim third spot. Their winners were Rishad Billimoria, Sanjay Pawar, Jehangir Surti and Rohan Vora. Aditya Jagtap pulled off a creditable 3-2 win for Team Mathew over CCI pro Temo Gomez.

Final results: 

Team Willstrop bt Team Shabana 4-3: 

Sachin Jadhav bt Aouloke Mathur 3-1; 
Niraj Shirgaokar bt Cyrus Vakil 3-1; 
Ravindra Jagtap bt Manish Chavan 3-2; 
Pranay Merchant lost to Rahil Fazelbhoy 2-3; 
Dheerav Moolani lost to Nikhil Jain 0-3, 
Manish Chotrani lost to Yudhvir Katoch 2-3; 
Navin Jangra bt Raj Arora 3-0.

Semis:

Team Shabana got past Team Matthew 5-2 win 
Team Willstrop beat Team Palmer 5-1.