Nandrajog favourite for CCI-Western India Open squash tournament

Squash action returns to the Cricket Club of India, the home of Indian squash, as the 66th CCI-Western India Open Squash Tournament will be held at the CCI from November 8 to 14. The tournament, the oldest in the world and being conducted uninterrupted for over six and a half decades, will include 15 categories that already have attracted a record 600 entries.

The tournament is being organised under the aegis of the Squash Rackets Federation of India and the Squash Rackets Association of Maharashtra, it was announced at a press conference here.

Defending champion Gaurav Nandrajog of Delhi is the favourite and leads the Mens Open seedings, followed by last years semi-finalist and second seed Sandeep Jangra, Ravi Dixit of Tamil Nadu and last years runner-up Vikas Jangra of the Services.

Once again a fair number of players from all over the country will make the trip to Mumbai for one of the sports most prestigious tournaments. A significant number of players from Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu will arrive to challenge the local talent and enhance the level of the competition, the organisers further informed.

Of the total prize money of Rs. 6 lakh, the mens winners purse of Rs. 1,10,000 is the largest in the tournaments history. The runner-up will receive Rs. 55,000.

Among the women, Saumya Karki is the top seed, while Ankita Sharma is seeded No. 2.

There is a posse of talented juniors who are likely to spring a surprise and catch the eye and they include Vrishab Kotian of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai boys Akash Borwankar, Raghav Mehrotra, Arjun Kochhar, Yohan Pandole, Kunj Rawani and Dev Vazirani.

The girls to watch out for are under-15 top seed Urvashi Joshi and No 2 Aishwarya Kulkarni and under-13 top seed Aishwarya Nambiar, all from the Jindal Squash Academy stable.

SEEDINGS Mens Open: 1. Gaurav Nandrajog (Del), 2. Sandeep Jangra, 3/4. Ravi Dixit (Tamil Nadu), 3/4. Vikas Jangra (Services).

Women: 1. Saumya Karki (Mumbai), 2. Ankita Sharma (Mumbai).

Boys U-19: 1. Ravi Dixit (Tamil Nadu), 2. Vrishab Kotian (Tamil Nadu), 3/4. Akash Borwankar (Mumbai), 3/4. Tushar Kothari (Rajasthan).

Boys U-17: 1. Vrishab Kotian (Tamil Nadu), 2. Akash Borwankar (Mumbai), 3/4. Tushar Kothari (Rajasthan), 3/4. Karan Tharyamal (Rajasthan).

Boys U-15: 1. Abhimanyu Shah (Mumbai), 2. Vijay Kumar (Rajasthan), 3/4. Raghav Mehrotra (Mumbai), 3/4. Arjun Kochhar (Mumbai).

Boys U-13: 1. Yohan Pandole (Mumbai), 2. Kunj Rawani (Mumbai), 3/4.

Junaid Khan (Delhi), 3/4. Aditya Khatri (Mumbai).

Boys U-11: 1. Dev Vazirani, 2. Aryaman Adik, 3/4. Yash Bhargav, 3/4.

Chaitanya Shah.

Girls U-19: 1. Saumya Karki, 2. Ankita Sharma.

Girls U-15: 1. Urvashi Joshi, 2. Aishwarya Kulkarni.

Girls U-13: 1. Aishwarya Nambiar, 2. Jui Kalgutkar.