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Chinappa’s dream run continues at Qatar Classic

India’s Joshna Chinappa (right) plays a shot against Egypt’s Yathreb Adel during their pre-quarter-finals match of Qatar Classic squash championship at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha yesterday.  Right: Egypt’s Omneya Abdel Kawy (right) and England’s Sarah-Jane Perry in action during their match yesterday. PICTURES: Nasar TK

By Satya Rath/Doha

The dream run continued for India’s Joshna Chinappa at the Qatar Classic yesterday. After downing top seed and world No. 1 Raneem El Welily in the first round of the event on Saturday, she scalped another rising star yesterday to storm into the quarter-finals of the PSA World Series event, being played at the Khalifa Tennis & Squash Complex here.
The 37-minute straight sets win (16-14, 11-8, 11-8) over Egypt’s opponent Yathreb Adel, the 19-year-old who knocked out world No. 14 Indian Dipika Pallikal in Saturday’s opening round, pits the 29-year-old Indian against a third successive Egyptian opponent, world No. 6 Omneya Abdel Kawy, in tomorrow’s last-eight fight.
The 30-year-old Kawy, coming off a breakthrough 2014-15 season, downed an out-of-sorts No. 10 seed Sarah-Jane Perry of England in straight games.
Chinappa and Kawy were joined in the quarters by No. 8 Nouran Gohar of Egypt, who outclassed qualifier and compatriot Amina Yousry (11-2, 11-5, 11-2), and Laura Massaro, who was pushed to four games by fellow Englishwoman Fiona Moverley before winning 14-12, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9.
It was another focused and composed performance by Chinappa against the much younger Adel, who’s already jumped to 31 in the world despite being a full-time student at Roehampton in England. The nervy first game set the tone, and also the outcome of the match.
The Egyptian raced to a 6-2 lead, and looked the fitter and sharper of the two. Realising that her older legs would find it difficult to cope with the pace and on-court movement of the 19-year-old, Chinappa tried to slow down the tempo, focusing more on rallies and the occasional drops.
The change of momentum worked, as the Indian clawed her way back to force a tie-break. Adel had her chances to close the game, but was unable to take advantage of as many as five game balls. The frustration led to errors, and increased appeals and protests at the referee’s calls. A calm Chinappa kept going, and when the one opportunity came, a game ball at 15-14, she closed it with a delectable drop.
It was much the same story in the next two games, Adel taking a big lead only for Chinappa to fight her way back and taking it on from there. Experience often has a big say in deciding the outcome of matches, and this was a classic example.
It’s almost after two years that Chinappa has made it to the last eight of a World Series event — her last quarter-final showing came at the 2013 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open. It’s also her best showing at the Qatar Classic, where she’s returning after 2009.
“I might have looked relaxed on court, but actually I was quite tense inside. I never played her before but I knew Yathreb would be tough because she had a great win over Dipika, so I just decided to keep it simple, play my game, stay focused and not get hassled by any decisions,” she said.
“I made it hard for myself in the first game when I allowed her to get away with the score, but I made sure I concentrated on getting the ball deep. This court is very rewarding when you get your length right, it really clings to the walls.
“It feels nice to be in the quarter-finals of a World Series event after almost two years. I am feeling good both mentally and physically, and am not thinking too far ahead, just taking it match by match. I have a day’s rest to prepare for my next game, which I am sure will be even tougher. But I am just trying to enjoy my squash, stay relaxed and do my best,” Chinappa, currently ranked 17 in the world, added.
The much-awaited all-Egyptian clash between 18-year-old Gohar and 15-year-old Yousry turned out to be completely one-sided. The reigning world junior champion, one of the most promising players among the current lot, put in a ruthless performance to eliminate her compatriot, who was competing at a World Series tournament for the first time ever.
The qualifier, ranked 115 in the world, had stunned world No. 18 Emily Whitlock in the first round to announce her arrival on the world stage, but was no match against Gohar who put her to the sword in just 23 minutes for the loss of just nine points.

Result (Women’s Round 2)
Joshana Chinappa (IND) bt Yathreb Adel (EGY) 3-0 (16/14, 11/8, 11/8); 5-Omneya Abdel Kawy (Egy) 10-Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-0 (11/9, 11/7, 15/13); 8-Nouran Gohar (Egy) Q-Amina Yousry (Egy) 3-0 (11/2, 11/5, 11/2; 4-Laura Massaro Q-Fiona Moverley (Eng) 3-1 (14/12, 11/9, 5/11, 11/9)



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