Mahak talati

Md Hafiz Abdul Harif: Indian wild cards Sanya Vats and Unnati Tripathi produced impressive performances to upset higher-ranked compatriots and move into the women’s Round of 16 at the Indian Squash Tour-2 PSA Challenger, held at the Otters Club in Mumbai on Monday.

Sanya set the tone for the day with a commanding straight-games win over Nirupama Dubey. The Delhi player looked sharp from the outset, mixing length and drop shots with precision to prevail 11-7, 11-9, 11-7. Her composure under pressure was evident in the second game when Dubey clawed back from a deficit, only for Sanya to close it out with tight winners.

Unnati, meanwhile, had to dig deep in a gripping four-game encounter against Anjali Semwal. After dropping the opening game 2-11, the teenager regrouped superbly, countering Semwal’s aggressive play with measured retrievals and attacking volleys. She edged the next two games 11-7, 11-7 before clinching the decider 14-12 in dramatic fashion to seal a memorable 2-11, 11-7, 11-7, 14-12 victory.