Indian Women’s Squash Team Lose Gold Medal Match to Hong Kong

Asian Games 2018: Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal and Sunayna Kuruvilla settled for silver in the team squash event

The Indian women’s squash team comprising Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Sunayna Kuruvilla.

(Photo: PTI)

• Indian women’s squash team lost 2-0 to Hong Kong in the final to settle for silver
• Sunayna Kuruvilla and Joshna Chinappa were beaten in the two singles matches.
• India had won the silver in the women’s team event at the 2014 Asian Games as well.

The Indian women’s squash team comprising Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Sunayna Kuruvilla has settled for silver after losing the final of the team event to Hong Kong. This is their second straight silver after they lost the final in 2014 to Malaysia.

Sunayna Kuruvilla and India number one Joshna Chinappa lost their matches as the team suffered its second defeat to Hong Kong in a space of three days, having lost to the second seeds in the final fixture of the pool stage as well.

The silver now ends India’s squash campaign at the Asian Games with a total haul of five medals overall including the men's team bronze and three bronze medals in the individual events.

(For more results, updates and videos from the 2018 Asian Games, click here.)

India’s Sunyna Kuruvilla, right, reacts as she competes against Hong Kong during the women’s team squash final match at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.(Photo: AP)

Game 1: Kuruvilla Lost to Tze Lok Ho

The final on Saturday started with the singles match between the lowest ranked players in both teams and world number 88 Kuruvilla took on on 51st ranked Tze Lok Ho.

The young Indian had come from behind to beat Ho in the group stage match three days back for the biggest win of her career. She was also the sole victor for India in the match with Chinappa and Pallikal losing to Annie and Joey Chan respectively.

In the final on Saturday, Ho ran away with the first two games at 11-8 and 11-6. Kuruvilla fought back to win the third but could not hang on in the next game as the tie ended with a 8-11, 6-11, 12-10, 3-11 scoreline.

India’s Joshna Chinappa during the women’s team gold medal match of the 2018 Asian Games.(Photo: PTI)

Game 2: Chinappa Beaten by Annie

The next was a must-win match for India and Chinappa was facing world number 11 Annie Au. The Indian had beaten eight-time world champion Nicol David in the semi-finals on Friday but had also lost to Au on Thursday. A defeat that had left her in tears.

The match on Saturday though started on similar lines, Au closing the first game 11-3. Joshna ensured the second game was a lot more competitive but Annie's relentless attack paid off as she took a 2-0 lead in the best of five affair.

Annie raced to a 10-2 lead in the third game and it was all over for India. Chinappa lost 3-11, 9-11, 5-11.