Suchde, Nandrajog for SPA Classic Squash

Mumbai, Aug 3 (UNI) India No 2 Siddharth Suchde will lead the challenge in the Rs 3.7 lakh prize money 1st SPA Classic Squash Championship, sponsored by Patel Retail and Squash Rackets Federation of India, at the Otters Club, Bandra from August 8 to 12.

The championship is being organised by the newly formed Squash Professional Association under the auspices of the Squash Rackets Federation of India, who also are co-sponsors along with Patel Retail Express Cargo Service, from the Patel Roadways stable.

The categories include Men, Professionals and Over-35.

Leading players from all over the country will be in the fray including India No. 3 Gaurav Nandrajog and India No. 4 Harinderpal Singh in the Men's category, the organisers informed at a press conference here today.

The other top players who will challenge the elite are Naresh Kumar, Parth Sharma, dark horse Parthiban Aiyappan of Chennai, Capt.

Shakti Singh of the Services, Supreet Singh, Vikas Jangra of Navy and Manek Mathur.

The Professionals has a formidable line-up that includes title favourite and No. 1 seed B. Balamurugan of Chennai, who will be challenged by strong contenders Sanjay Pawar (Otters), Rohit More (CCI), Vijay H. Sonavane (Andheri Recreation Club), Vijay Waghela (Khar Gymkhana), Mahesh Verma (Deolali, Nashik) and Dashrath Tambe (Willingdon Sports Club, Mahalaxmi).

The Over-35 will feature India No. 1 and top seed Niraj Shirgaonkar of Otters Club and India No. 2 and second seed Raja Parthasarathy of Willingdon Sports Club, Mahalaxmi.

The matches will be played over best-of-five games with 11 points in the Point A Rally Scoring (PARS) system, the organisers said.

The Men's winner will receive a whopping Rs. 70,000, while the runner-up will receive Rs. 50,000. In addition, the semi-finalists will earn Rs. 17,500 each and the quarter-finalists Rs. 8,750.

The Professionals winner will receive Rs. 40,000 and the runner-up Rs. 25,000. The Over-35 winner will earn Rs. 12,000, while the runner-up will receive Rs. 7,500, the organisers added.

UNI