Bollywood Touch As Au And Bernabeu Claim Otters Glory

Hopes of home success were thwarted in the finale of the Women’s Otters International JSW ISC 2016, the PSA W35 tournament taking place in Mumbai, as local favourite Joshua Chinappa fell to top seeded Annie Au of Hong Kong in the title-decider that brought a packed week of competition to a close at the Otters Club.

The home crowd were vocal in their support of Indian champion Chinappa but their backing was to no avail as World No.11 Au’s quality shone through in a compelling 55 minute straight-game victory.

The first two games were closely contested, with Au sneaking them 11-9 and 13-11, before a knee injury suffered at the start of the third game hindered any chance of a Chinappa comeback and Au stormed on to victory in front of Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh, the Guest of Honour, who took to the court with JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal to present the awards much to the delight of everyone in attendance.

That followed Iker Pajares Bernabeu’s victory in the Men’s PSA M5 tournament as he prevailed in all-Spanish final to lift the silverware courtesy of a comfortable straight games win over Edmon Lopez in the final.

Bernabeu, who was seeded number one, was full value for his victory playing with unerring accuracy and composure throughout.

World No.113 Lopez had only dropped one game on route to the final, against Abdullah Al Muzayen in the semi-final, but was no match for World No.99 Bernabeu who lived up to his billing to come through 3-0 in just 27 minutes.

RESULTS: Otters International 2016, Mumbai, India Men’s
ROUND 1
Abhay Singh (IND) bt [6] Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) 3-0: 11-9, 8-2 retired (12m)
[7] Alex Noakes (ENG) bt Ahmad Al-Mudhaf (KUW) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 (22m)
[4] Sanjay Singh Chal (MAS) bt Abhinav Sinha (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-2 (19m)
[2] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Tushar Shahani (IND) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (28m)
[8] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Rahul Baitha (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 (25m)
[5] Ravi Dixit (IND) bt Omar Bahgat (EGY) 3-1: 7-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 (38m)
[3] Robert Downer (ENG) bt [WC] Vijay Kumar (IND) 3-1: 12-10, 2-11, 11-9, 11-6 (43m)
[1] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [Q] Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (51m)

QUARTER FINALS
[8] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt [4] Sanjay Singh Chal (MAS) 3-2: 8-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (52m)
[3] Robert Downer (ENG) bt [7] Alex Noakes (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (31m)
[2] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Abhay Singh (IND) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-6 (48m)
[1] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [5] Ravi Dixit (IND) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 (43m)

SEMI FINALS
[1] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [3] Robert Downer (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3 (55m)
[2] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt [8] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 3-1: 11-7, 6-11, 11-13 retired (30m)

FINAL
[1] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt [2] Edmon Lopez (ESP) 3-0: 11-3, 11-9, 11-3 (27m)

RESULTS: Otters International 2016, Mumbai, India Women’s

ROUND 1
[8] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Sachika Ingale (IND) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-1, 11-6 (31m)
[6] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (35m)
[3] Delia Arnold (MAS) [WC] bt Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-6 (18m)
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 13-11 (35m)
[7] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Siyoli Waters (RSA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 14-12 (41m)
Milou van der Heijden (NED) bt [5] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 3-1: 6-11, 13-11, 11-7, 14-12 (55m)
[4] Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) bt Mayar Hany (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 18-16, 13-11, 11-3 (58m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (43m)

QUARTER FINALS
[3] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 3-1: 10-12, 11-6, 12-10, 11-5 (48m)
[6] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [4] Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) 3-1: 15-13, 8-11, 12-10, 11-8 (64m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [7] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5 (31m)
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [8] Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (28m)

SEMI FINALS
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [3] Delia Arnold (MAS) 3-1: 13-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-3 (50m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [6] Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-1: 11-6, 15-13, 9-11, 11-8 (73m)

FINAL
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-9, 13-11, 11-7 (55m)

Report by Sam Allsop