Indian women squash players kept their medal hopes alive as they made it to the quarter-finals of the team events in the World junior championship being held in Cairo.
The Indian women thus equalled their best ever performance by reaching the last eight of the prestigious championship, a statement from the Squash Rackets Federation of India said.
India defeated Wales 3-0 and then beat Germany 3-0. The trio of Joshna Chinappa, Vaidehi Reddy and Supriya Baleskar will be playing their final pool match against Canada on Tuesday.
In their match against Wales, Vaidehi Reddy gave India the vital lead (1-0) with a confident 9-4, 9-4, 9-1 win over Jessica Bevan.
Chinappa was all set to score an easy win after taking the first two games 9-5, 9-3 but then was surprised by Stacey Preece, who took the match to the decider, winning the third and fourth games at 9-4, 9-6.
In the decider, Chinappa was in her element and kept up the pressure with a few hard length shots and delicate drops before winning the game and the match at 9-1.
In the third match, Supriya, known for her backhand volleys, came back from a game down to beat Beth Winstanle 3-9, 9-6, 9-0, 9-5.
In the evening session against Germany, Reddy got the better of Pamela Hathway 9-5, 9-3, 9-4, Chinappa defeated Pia Kaindl 9-2, 9-2, 9-6 and Supriya beat Sandra Krueger 9-1, 4-9, 9-6, 9-6.
