After months of living out of a suitcase, Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa are back in the city, but they are not resting. The two are at the Indian Squash Academy (ISA) here for a three-week camp to get ready for the World women’s team championship to be held in Paris from November 28 to December 3.
“The (past) three months (playing in PSA World tour) have been crazy, playing week after week,” Dipika said to The Hindu here on Friday, after the training camp. “It’s nice to practice again with Joshna. When it comes to a team, we are at our best. We enjoy each other’s company,” she added.
With two of the country’s top under-19 players in Sunayna Kuruvilla and Akansha Salunkhe making up the four-member team to Paris, Joshna, the top-ranked Indian at 13 in the world, felt the team is looking to first enter the top eight, and then take it one step at a time. “It will be tough, no doubt, but we will do our best,” she said.
Acknowledging the competition, which includes top players from England, Egypt, France, Australia, Malaysia, The Netherlands and the USA, Coach Cyrus Poncha said a top-eight finish “is what we are aiming for”. Concurring with Poncha, India’s foreign coach Ashraf El Karargi, said it will be difficult to look beyond the quarterfinals.
For the two juniors, Sunayna and Akansha, it will be a learning experience and an opportunity to prove to one and all that they are here for the long haul. “It is a big honour. I have so much to learn,” said Sunayna, for whom this will be the third International (senior) event after World juniors (Poland) and South Asian Games (SAG, Guwahati). Akansha said her aim is to “improve myself” after having played in the SAG (Guwahati), Asian team championship in Taipei and the World juniors (Poland).
Ashraf revealed Egypt’s Zahed Mohamed (men’s World No. 25) and Shehab Essam (No. 92) will train at the ISA with the Indian junior players from January 15 next year for the Asian juniors (boys and girls) championship to be held in Hong Kong in February 2017. “They are experienced pros, and playing with them will certainly help our players improve,” he said.
source:http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by K. Keerthivasan / Chennai – November 05th, 2016
