07-Feb-2012
The News
CHENNAI: In a dramatic clash which went the full distance, favourites Egypt eventually overcame surprise opponents India 2/1 in the final of the SDAT WSF Under-21 World Cup in the inaugural World Squash Federation event before an ecstatic crowd here at the Express Avenue Mall.
It was a tall order for the hosts in the opening match where Ravi Dixit, ranked 183 in the world, faced Egypt’s world No33 Marwan El Shorbagy, the highest-ranked man in the tournament.
The Delhi-born, 20-year-old threw everything he had at the in-form world junior champion and recovered from 2/0 down to win the third game, despite having to warm up a new ball at game-ball at 10-4. But El Shorbagy, still only 18, stamped his authority in the next game to win 11-4, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 in 58 minutes and put the favourites into the lead.
But the match of the championship then followed in which the star of Indian squash Dipika Pallikal, the highest-ranked woman in the event, faced Egyptian rival Nour El Sherbini.
The head-to-head record between the pair was one-all, but 20-year-old Pallikal is currently ranked 14 in the world, nine places above the 16-year-old former world junior champion from Alexandria.
Pallikal took the opening game, but Sherbini won the next two to move ahead. Pallikal eventually prevailed to claim a sensational 11-7, 4-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5 victory after 74 long minutes and level the arrears.
With the crowd now sensing a shock victory, the semi-final hero Ramit Tandon took to the court to face Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad in the decider. The 20-year-old Gawad, ranked 42nd in the world, took the first game after a tie-break and then moved 2/0 ahead. But Kolkata-born Tandon, ranked almost 300 places below his opponent, battled hard and took the third game to reduce the deficit.
But the Egyptian finally won 12-10, 11-4, 6-11, 11-8 after 67 minutes to earn the title for Egypt. |
