Mumbai, Dec 22 (IANS): Defending champion and India’s firm favourite Anahat Singh asserted her dominance to tame top-seeded compatriot Akanksha Salunkhe to win the Western India Slam 2024, a USD 9,000 prize-money Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger event, women’s singles title at the Cricket Club of India courts in Mumbai on Sunday.
The second seed Anahat outclassed Akanksha 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-8) in just 25 minutes. With the win, the 16-year-old picked up her ninth PSA Challenger title of the year after securing her first win over Akanksha Salunkhe, world No. 70, in a PSA event. In their previous encounter in the ACE Challenger Tour 12k quarter-finals earlier this year, Akanksha defeated the teenager.
In the men's singles final, second seed Malaysian Ameeshenraj Chandaran defeated the number one seed Viktor Byrtus of the Czech Republic 3-1 (15-13, 6-11, 11-5, and 11-3) in a gruelling 60-minute encounter.
Results:
Men (finals): 2-Ameeshenraj Chandaran (MAS) bt. 1 Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-1 (15-13, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3).
Women (finals): 2-Anahat Singh (IND) bt. 1 Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-8).