India national coach Cyrus Poncha was happy: "It's been a brilliant year for Indian squash - which started with reaching the U21 World Cup final, then 3rd place in the world junior boys, and now top 8 in the women's." In only their 3rd appearance in the event, India ensured themselves a top 8 finish in the WSF Women’s World Team Championship after producing an upset by beating 8th seed Netherlands in a dramatic last 16 round tie in Nimes
It was after defeating Argentina and upsetting Ireland in the pool stages that tenth seeds India today defeated Netherlands 2/1, as Anaka Alankamony beat Milou van der Heijden 11-8, 11-6, 11-5. The Netherlands came back as former world No2 Natalie Grinham beat India’s Dipika Pallikal 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 to level the tie.
In the decider, 2nd string Joshana Chinappa (ri) came back from 1/2 down to clinch a historic 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3 win after 51 minutes to take India into the world’s top 8 for the 1st time.
India national coach Cyrus Poncha was overjoyed with the achievement: “It’s been a brilliant year for Indian squash.”
Last sixteen round:
[1] ENGLAND bt [15] WALES 3/0
Sarah Kippax bt Fiona Murphy 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (19m)
Laura Massaro bt Tesni Evans 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (26m)
Alison Waters bt Deon Saffery 11-2, 11-7 (13m)
[7] IRELAND bt [9] FRANCE 3/0
Laura Mylotte bt Maud Duplomb 7-11, 11-8, 13-15, 11-8, 11-4
Madeline Perry bt Camille Serme 11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5
Aisling Blake bt Coline Aumard 11-4, 11-9
[3] MALAYSIA bt [13] CZECH REPUBLIC 2/0
Delia Arnold bt Kristyna Alexova 11-1, 11-3, 11-5 (21m)
Nicol David bt Lucie Fialova 11-3, 11-5, 11-4 (24m)
Low Wee Wern v Olga Ertlova
[5] NEW ZEALAND bt [11] CANADA 2/1
Kylie Lindsay lost to Susannah King 11-8, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 12-14 (54m)
Joelle King bt Samantha Cornett 8-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 (35m)
Jaclyn Hawkes bt Alexandra Norman 11-5, 13-11, 11-9 (33m)
[6] AUSTRALIA bt [12] USA 3/0
Melody Francis bt Maria Elena Ubina 11-4, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-2 (35m)
Rachael Grinham bt Sabrina Sobhy 11-2, 13-11, 11-3 (27m)
Donna Urquhart bt Olivia Fiechter 11-6, 10-12, 11-8 (25m)
[4] HONG KONG CHINA bt [14] SOUTH AFRICA 2/1
Liu Tsz-Ling lost to Milnay Louw 10-12, 10-12, 5-11 (31m)
Annie Au bt Siyoli Waters 11-13, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3 (57m)
Joey Chan bt Diana Haynes 11-6, 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-9
[10] INDIA bt [8] NETHERLANDS 2/1
Anaka Alankamony bt Milou van der Heijden 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (30m)
Dipika Pallikal lost to Natalie Grinham 8-11, 4-11, 3-11 (20m)
Joshana Chinappa bt Orla Noom 5-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-3 (51m)
[2] EGYPT bt [16] MEXICO 3/0
Nour El Tayeb bt Monserrat Castellanos 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 (17m)
Raneem El Weleily bt Karla Urrutia 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (23m)
Omneya Abdel Kawy bt Nayelly Hernandez 11-6, 11-4 (11m)
