Chennai, Oct 29 (IANS): Harinder Pal Sandhu and Dipika Pallikal emerged champions in the fourth and concluding leg of the JSW-PSA Challenger squash circuit, here Wednesday.

Sandhu defeated top seeded Egyptian Karim Ali Fathi 11-8, 11-3, 11-6, Pallikal accounted for second seed Misaki Kobayashi of Japan 11-6, 11-2, 11-8 in the final.

Having had a good outing in the semi-final, Pallikal was in the right frame of mind from the first point she won. Keeping the returns long and ensuring Kobayashi did not get any leeway, Pallikal reeled away points to get into a strong position quite early.

Kobayashi too did not help her own cause with repeated unforced errors, mostly trying to find the area above the tin with drive or boast.

The Japanese however worked up a good fight in the third game and for the first time earned a handy lead too. But Pallikal used the angle shots to effect and variations in returns to wrap up the match.

"As a junior, I had lost to her. But things have changed. She is not an easy opponent. I ensured she did not design any comeback," said Pallikal who had won the third leg in Mumbai.

Sandhu too continued from where he left in the semi-final when he scalped another Egyptian. But then, Fathi was a different customer, one whose reach was commendable and he could use the court well.

Rallies featured in the initial play with each point that Sandhu won triggering loud cheers in the indoor hall. The overwhelming support for Sandhu possibly unsettled the Egyptian who tended to slip which was not customary as seen in his earlier displays.

It helped Sandhu though as he tightened his returns, kept pushing Fathi on the backcourt. Mixing the drives and drops well, the Indian could evoke mistakes in Fathi and slowly but surely the Egyptian caved in.