Behl in quarters

CALCUTTA, JAN 13: Reigning national champion Akhil Behl entered the quarter-finals of the National Squash Championships at the Calcutta R...

CALCUTTA, JAN 13: Reigning national champion Akhil Behl entered the quarter-finals of the National Squash Championships at the Calcutta Racket Club here today. Behl, who had led Maharashtra to victory in the Inter-State Squash Championships, defeated A Chonker 9-1, 9-5, 9-1 in the pre-quarter-final.

Ritwick Bhattacharya of Delhi also entered the quarter-finals and is on course for a show-down with Akhil Behl for the title. Behl had, incidentally, conceded his match against Bhattacharya in the Inter-state league match between Delhi and Maharashtra.

Bhattacharya, who has won the Western and the Central India Opens this season, made short work of C. Poncho 9-0, 9-1, 9-0. Bhattacharya, with his superior agility, left his opponent stranded with low drop-shots. Keeping his serves close to the wall, Bhattacharya also ensured that he would not get too difficult a return.

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Another leading player in the domestic circuit, Rajdip Brar, also made it to the last-eight stage with a straight set win over Saket Wali.

Results

Men (PQF): GS Rathore bt Salil Bisht 9-1, 9-5, 9-2; A. Behl bt A. Chonker 9-1, 9-5, 9-1; R. Brar bt S. Wali 9-5, 9-2, 9-1; Awish Jaiswal bt Parth Doshi 9-6, 9-3, 3-9, 9-2; M. Chotrani bt R. Teotia 9-0, 9-0, 9-0; R. Bhattacharya bt C. Poncho 9-0, 9-1, 9-0; A.Kalia bt M. Khurana 8-10, 9-6, 9-0, 9-2.

Women: Dolly Dabriwal bt Kavita Nalavade 9-0, 9-5, 9-2; Supriya Balshekhar bt Poonam Mukim 9-1, 9-3, 9-6.

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