Kerala State Squash Championships: Injured Rejin concedes final, Pran wins men's title

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hosts Pran Praveen and top seed Neeraja B emerged champions of the 2nd Kerala State Squash Closed Championships which concluded at National Games Squash Centre here on Wednesday.
Pran who was leading 11-5, 11-9 sets against his final opponent Rejin Raj RV, the top seed and defending champion but the latter rallied to grab the third set at 11-6 but at a cost.He strained his muscle on left thigh and took a medical break. In the fourth, he was forced to concede the match and title to Pran in 28 minutes who was leading at 7-3.
Pran, a Mar Baselios engineering college but aspiring to be a squash coach, was former under-19 champion couple of years ago when the state championship was not part of SRFI's national ranking tournament.
In the women's final, Neeraja the reigning champion, encountered unexpected challenge from Subhadra K Sony. After losing the first, the challenger came two points of winning the second set, but she ran out of steam as she had earlier played girls under -17 final against Neeraja's younger sister Nikitha only two hours ago.
Neeraja retained the championship 11-7, 15-13 11-8 in 26 minutes while her sister lifted the girls U-17 at 12-10, 11-5, 11-6. Nikitha is reigning champion in girls under-15 and a former under-13 category.
"No excuses to say. I played well, they played better," Subhadra told TOI on Wednesday after the finals against the siblings who have been champions for the past five years.
Meanwhile, Siddhant Patil went home with a double, winning the boys U-19 and U-17 titles.
"I found the standard of the players to be better than expected. Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions have impacted all but we're glad to organize a state championship amidst all this hue and cry," observed Anish Mathew, secretary, Kerala State Rackets Association. "We're also planning a three-day workshop next month to be led by our pro coach Krishan Jaipal Singh. But it will be restricted to registered players," he added.
Results (finals only):
MEN: 2-Pran Praveen (2) bt 1-Rejin Raj RV 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 7-3 (retired); WOMEN: Neeraja B (1) bt Subhadra K Sony 11-7, 15-13, 11-8; BOYS U-19: Siddhant Patil bt 1- Alok S Biju 12-10, 11-3, 2-11, 3-11, 11-7; U-17: Siddhant bt 1-Alfeen 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4; U-15: Omkar Vinod bt Pranav VS 11-4, 11-7, 11-2; U-13: Ryan Ohio bt Abid Muhammed 11-4, 11-2, 11-8; GIRLS U-17: Nikitha B bt Subhadra12-10, 11-5, 11-6