By IANS,
Chennai : Expectations are high as the sub junior and junior National Squash Championship commences here Friday at the ICL Squash Academy.
There are over 400 participants from 19 States with the maximum participation from Tamil Nadu with 123 entries.
There will be 10 age-group categories in the individual event and this will be followed by the inter-state championships (Nov 3-8) comprising four events – boys and girls under 15 and 19.
The top junior players vying for the boys under 19 title include Vikram Malhotra and Aditya Jagtap, both from Maharashtra.
These two along with the top two seeds in the boys under 17 category, Ravi Dixit and Ramit Tandon, were part of the Indian team that finished fourth at the World Junior Championships in Switzerland earlier this year.
In the girls under 19 category, Dipika Pallikal and V. Anwesha Reddy, both from Tamil Nadu, have been seeded to reach the finals.
Upcoming stars, Mahesh Mangaonkar from Maharashtra (Asia No.2 in boys under 15) and Anaka Alankamony (Asian No.1 in girls under 15) are the top seeds in the under 15 boys and girls category respectively.
“Squash in the country has seen a definite upward trend both in terms of international results as well as public awareness. As a result of which, the ICL Squash Academy is expected to see throngs of supporters and squash enthusiasts from all over the country during the championships,” said Srivatsan Subramanian, secretary general, Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI).