Indians Excel In Early World Championship Encounters

Indian players triumphed on the opening day of action in the Men's World Junior Championship as three promising prospects - all younger than 17 - battled through two rounds to take their place in the 128-man third round draw in the biennial World Squash Federation championship in Switzerland.

A record 163 players from 37 countries entered the individual championship which reaches its final in Zurich on 1 August. The event is followed by the World Junior Team Championship, from 2-7 August.

Karan Malik, aged 16, from Chennai, beat USA's Adam Perkiomaki 9-5, 9-6, 9-5 to earn a third round place against England's 5/8 seed Joe Lee - while Abhishek Pradhan and Mahesh Mangaonkar, both only 14 years old and from Mumbai, despatched Oliver Holland (England) and Ryan McConvey (Cayman Islands), respectively, in straight games to join compatriots Ravi Dixit, Paramit Singh, Aditya Jagtap and Vikram Malhotra in the third round.

Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan, a semi-finalist in the individual championship in 2004 and 2006, is the event's top seed. The 17-year-old from Peshawar faces New Zealander Alex Grayson in his opening match today (Monday) in Zurich.

2nd round:
Paul Rodrigues (RSA) bt Nicholas Sisodia (USA) 4-9, 9-7, 9-4, 9-5 (51m)
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Amar Gupta (CAN) 9-1, 9-0, 9-0 (19m)
Clay Blackiston (USA) bt Simon Summers (AUS) 10-9, 9-5, 9-7 (52m)
James Earles (ENG) bt Muhammad Yassim (MAS) 9-1, 9-4, 9-3 (46m)
Karan Malik (IND) bt Adam Perkiomaki (USA) 9-5, 9-6, 9-5 (26m)
Nosherwan Khan (PAK) bt Nicholas Hopcroft (ENG) 9-5, 9-3, 9-4 (36m)
Arjun Gupta (CAN) bt Tomas Toth (SVK) 9-7, 3-9, 9-4, 9-1 (61m)
Adel Mohamed El Zarka (EGY) bt Nasser Al-Rashid (KUW) 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-2 (35m)
Abhishek Pradhan (IND) bt Oliver Holland (ENG) 9-5, 9-5, 9-5 (36m)
Muhammad Zul Azri (MAS) bt Daniel Hutchines (LUX) 3-9, 9-4, 9-2, 4-9, 9-0 (49m)
Ahmed El Mehelmy (EGY) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 9-1, 9-0, 10-8 (22m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Ryan McConvey (CAY) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 (17m)