Cyrus Poncha’s squash blog

PSA Malaysian Tour No10, Kuala Lumpur, (5k)

Cyrus Poncha — Sat, 09 Sep 2017 07:11:33 +0000

Harinder Pal Sandhu’s winning streak in the PSA circuit continues. The former national champion won his fifth straight title and 10th overall when he defeated Mohd Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia in the final of the Malaysian Tour event in Kuala Lumpur.

The top seeded Indian who had a relatively easy move upto the final was given a tough fight by the second seeded Malaysian before Harinder prevailed 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6. This is the seventh time that the two had met and Harinder has emerged the winner each time. “A fabulous win for Harinder and we are proud of him,” said the national coach Cyrus Poncha. Harinder is a trainee at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai.

This is Harinder’s 22nd match win in a row in the circuit starting with the Malaysian Tour again, in May. He followed that success with wins in Makati Open in Philippines, South Australian Open and Victorian Open (both Australia), the last one in July.

SYS Open, PSA 5 (9-14 May’17)

Cyrus Poncha — Mon, 15 May 2017 07:47:49 +0000

Ramit Tandon who won his maiden PSA title in SYS Open, a World Tour event.

The one time top Indian junior, Tandon who had come into this event as a qualifier beat his country-mate and third seed Kush Kumar 11-3, 11-2, 11-3 in the final. This was Tandon’s third appearance in a PSA event final.

The Kolkata player who shifted to New York nearly six years ago for studies has just begun to shape his career in the professional circuit. This has been his second tournament in the year, the earlier being an brief appearance in the qualifying phase in the Tournament of Champions in January. In the current tournament, Tandon began by outclassing 8th seed Scott Young of England. Then in the quarters he edged out 4th seed Noah Browne of Bermuda. Tandon then eclipsed second seed Clinton Leeuw of South Africa in straight games 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 in the semi-final to indicate his touch. The final turned easier in the face of an out of form Kush, who had once scripted wonderful stories of heroics for India in international tournaments.

WSF Level 2 Coaching Course, 4-9 May Chennai

Cyrus Poncha — Wed, 10 May 2017 07:42:42 +0000

In all 15 coaches from various parts of India benefited from the 6-day WSF level II course, which concluded at the Indian Squash Academy on Tuesday. The course was conducted, in keeping with the WSF initiate of coach education programme, by Maj S. Maniam, the Director of Coaching of the world body. National coach Cyrus Poncha and Iran’s Alireza Sanaei, were other two officials to assist him.

Of the lot, four were already ASF certified and this course enabled them to refresh and get in line with the WSF curriculum and earn WSF accreditation, in tune with the need for standardisation of coaching. The others who went through the course as first timers spent a lot more time on theoretical and practical aspects and got assessed at every stage. At the end of the course, these first timers are now left with the need to submit in five months time, a long term training plan plus a weekly and a monthly training programme schedules in addition to a certificate of having spent 40 hours of coaching at an approved centre. “Thus in six months time, they have a chance of becoming WSF level II coaches,” said Maj Maniam..

Abu Dhabi Open (1-5 May)

Cyrus Poncha — Sat, 06 May 2017 07:39:47 +0000

Vikram Malhotra annexed his fifth PSA title after beating Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim in the final of the Abu Dhabi Open, a PSA world tour event. Vikram won 6-11, 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 13-11.

The top seeded Indian, fresh from the Asian Championship held in Chennai, beat Hesham Mohamed Aly of Egypt in the first round thereafter seventh seed Ahmad Al-Saraj of Jordan in the quarters, both in fluent style. In the semi-final he took out Pakistan’s Khwaja Adil Maqbool who retired in the third game after trailing by two games. The stiff test then came for him the title-match where the Egyptian took him to extra points in the decider.

Cyrus Poncha receives ASF Award

Cyrus Poncha — Mon, 01 May 2017 07:37:37 +0000

National coach Cyrus Poncha who was chosen from a list of 13 nominations from seven countries for the 2016 Asian Squash Federation Coach of the Year award by the Asian body received the honour at the prize distribution function of the Asian Championship in Chennai. He was the only Indian in this year’s list of awards (players and officials put together). The ASF recognition came for Poncha’s role in the string of achievements of India’s senior and junior players last year. The highlights were the World doubles in Australia where Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal Karthik had won a mixed silver, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika as also Joshna and Harinder Pal Sandhu had won a bronze medal each. Then in the Asian team Championship in Chinese Taipei, India had won a silver medal in the women’s section and bronze in the men’s section. Further in the South Asian Games in Guwahati in February, India had a rich haul of four medals including three gold and one bronze for a historic show. Velavan Senthilkumar’s rise to become the Asian U-19 gold medal winner was another plus for Poncha. He had won it earlier in 2004, 2009, 2012 and in 2014 as Team coach ( a distinction was brought because there was a separate award for Individual coach that year). In addition he was also the ASF Junior Coach of the Year award winner in 2003, 2008 and 2010. Incidentally, Poncha was the recipient of the Dhronacharya Award in 2005.

By SR Suryanarayan

Joshna makes history (Asian C’ship, Chennai 26-30 April)

Cyrus Poncha — Mon, 01 May 2017 07:34:41 +0000

Joshna Chinappa made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Asian Individual Squash Champion. Saurav Ghosal became the first male player from India to make it to the final of the Asian Championship and Dipika Pallikal Karthik emulated the champion of yesteryear Misha Grewal by making it to the final. It all happened interestingly at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai, which was the venue for the first time for an Asian Championship. Even though national coach Cyrus Poncha confessed that he dreamt of an Indian winning the coveted title, when it came true there was no stopping the abounding joy at the Mall. With people from all walks of life watching the proceedings from the various floors and sidelines, the competition had a unique ambience in keeping with the organisers motto “to take the competition to the people.” The best available talent from Asia congregated though one missed the legendaryMalaysian Nicol David in the women’s section. Still with Max Lee and Annie Au there, there was expectations that it would be a close for these two Hong Kong leaders. Both were top seeds. While Lee kept his date with glory at the expense of Saurav Ghosal, Annie Au became Dipika’s victim in the semi-final. A Joshna-Dipika final was just the script that the gathering had looked forward to and it was. Five tantalising games, a slip and fall of Dipika, a spate of ‘let’ and ‘no-let’ calls and five games thereafter Joshna emerged the victor amidst loud approbation from the appreciative spectators all around. With a host of sponsors and Reliance’s Jio taking up the title-sponsor, the championship this time was in every sense a sweeping success. The final scores: Men: Max Lee (HK) bt Saurav Ghosal 5-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-7; Women: Joshna Chinappa bt Dipika Pallikal Karthik 13-15, 12-10, 11-13, 11-4, 11-4.

Assore & Baldwin Parkview Open, Johannesburg, (9-13 April’17)

Cyrus Poncha — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 04:14:50 +0000

It proved to be so near yet so far for the Chennai lad Velavan Senthilkumar, the precociously talented young man from the Indian Squash Academy. The current Asian junior champion and keen to have a smooth transition to the professional world of PSA events, Velavan was close to winning his first PSA event in Johannesburg. The Parkview Open provided just the platform as he progressed from the qualification phase to knock out the 8^th seed Belgian Tiago Goriely first and then in the quarters earned the prized cap of top seed Aqeel Rehman of Austria in a stunning three gamer. Third seed Mark Fuller of England was his next victim for a passage to the final. Expectations ran high there because his touch was so good, but Velavan met his match in the Egyptian Mohamed Elsherbini, who too was gunning for his first title. The 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 win that the Egyptian scripted was not easy considering the speed with which Velavan negotiated his rivals sharp stroke-play.

However for the two other Indians, Harinder Pal Sandhu as also Sunayna Kuruvilla in the women’s section, the goings were not as comfortable. Harinder in fact was seeded two and in keeping with that billing progressed two rounds before Elsharbini stopped him in the semis. Making a come back bid into the PSA circuit after injury-care had kept him out for a while, Harinder had to struggle. Still like Velavan, Harinder too utilised the opportunity to sharpen his skills as the two await the Asian Championship on home ground (Chennai) in a few days. Similar for Sunayna, the current junior champion. She was the 6^th seed in the field of 16. After a laborious first round win over South African Alexandra Fuller, Sunayna lost her way against second seed Milnay Louw of South Africa in the quarterfinal.

ASF Coach of The Year Award

Cyrus Poncha — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 02:54:14 +0000

CHENNAI: India’s national squash coach Cyrus Poncha has been chosen from a list of 13 nominations from seven countries for the 2016 Asian Squash Federation Coach of the Year award by the Asian body. He is the only Indian in this year’s list of awards (players and officials together) which was released by the Asian Squash Federation.

The ASF has recognised Poncha’s role in the string of achievements that India’s senior and junior players had brought in last year. The highlights were the World doubles in Australia where Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal Karthik had won a mixed silver, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika as also Joshna and Harinder Pal Sandhu had won a bronze medal each. Then in the Asian team Championship in Chinse Taipei, India had won a silver medal in the women’s section and bronze in the men’s section. Further in the South Asian Games in Guwahati in February, India had a rich haul of four medals including three gold and one bronze for a historic show. Velavan Senthilkumar’s rise to become the Asian U-19 gold medal winner was another plus in Poncha’s coaching career.

This is not the first time that Poncha has been nominated for this prestigious award. He had won the ASF Coach of the Year award previously in 2004, 2009, 2012 and in 2014 as Team coach ( a distinction was brought because there was a separate award for Individual coach that year). In addition he was the ASF Junior Coach of the Year award winner in 2003, 2008 and 2010. Incidentally Poncha was the recipient of the Dhronacharya Award of the Government of India in 2005.

The President of the Squash Rackets Federation of India Mr Debendranath Sarangi while congralutating the national coach said, “He is an excellent coach, consistent in his approach.” Mr Sarangi, who is also the Vice President of the ASF added, “he was openly acclaimed in the various ASF meetings I had attended.”

The various awards, four for players and an equal number for Coaches, will be presented at the forthcoming Asian Individual Championship scheduled here later this month.

S.R. Suryanarayan

A slice of history in Aberdeen (North of Scotland Open, 28 Mar-2 Apr)

Cyrus Poncha — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 17:34:02 +0000

Mahesh Mangaonkar and Vikram Malhotra became the the first two Indians to contest a PSA Tour event final away from India. The two featured in the title round of the PSA world Tour event and in keeping with the seedings, second seed Vikram won but only barely. Such was the fight that third seed Mahesh gave. The final scores 3-11, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11, 11-4 tell the story of the great battle. An all-Indian final had come earlier but at home. Saurav Ghosal and Ritwik Bhattacharya had featured in two PSA events held in India. The event in Scotland saw Vikram making steady progress, beating a qualifier South African Tristan Eysele 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 first, then fifth seed Evan Williams (NZL) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 next to enter the semi-final. In the last four, Vikram set aside the challenge of seventh seed Malaysian Eain Yow Ng, the 2016 world junior champion 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 11-2. On the other hand, Mahesh had a tougher time and tougher opponents. He accounted for Pakistan’s Israr Ahmed 14-12, 12-14, 11-2, 11-4 in the first round. Then, he defeated sixth seed Jan Van Den Herrewegen (Bel) 11-6, 11-3, 4-11, 11-6 for a place in the semi-final. Mahesh moved into the final beating top seed Richie Fallows (Eng) 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 11-3.

WSF Level 1 Course (27-31 March’17)

Cyrus Poncha — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 02:41:36 +0000

The WSF Level 1 Coaching Course was held at NSCI Mumbai from 27-31 March 2017. 29 Coaches from across the country attended the Level 1 course with 9 existing coaches doing the Level 1 refresher course. The course was conducted by Dalip Tripathi.