![\"Mahesh-psa\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Mahesh-psa.jpg\")
Nimes, France: Mahesh Mangaonkar began the New Year the way he ended 2013 – with title success on the PSA World Tour!<\/p>\nNimes, France: Mahesh Mangaonkar began the New Year the way he ended 2013 – with title success on the PSA World Tour!<\/p>\n
The Indian teenager claimed the first Tour title of the year when he despatched top-seeded Scot Greg Lobban in the final of the Open du Gard, the PSA Challenger 5 squash event marking its sixth year at Squash des Arenes in Nimes, France.<\/p>\n
Third seed Mangaonkar made his breakthrough in the semi-finals when he crushed second-seeded Kuwaiti Ammar Altamimi in just 28 minutes,<\/p>\n
Now in the fourth Tour final of his career, the 19-year-old from Mumbai had a point to prove when he faced Lobban, a 21-year-old from Edinburgh enjoying his eighth Tour final.<\/p>\n
Mangaonkar’s success in last month’s Imet Open in Slovakia came after a five-game final victory over Lobban – the result of which is that both now players share a World No.82 ranking.\n<\/p>\n
Revenge looked on the cards when Lobban (pictured above, left, with Mangaonkar) took the opening game – but Mangaonkar struck back to win the next three to claim his 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 title triumph in 64 minutes.<\/p>\n
The win, his third on the PSA Tour, also set up a nine-match winning streak for the Mumbai teenager – the longest of his career.<\/p>\n
“First win of 2014 in Nimes,” Mangaonkar told his Twitter followers later. “Hopefully more to come this year. Now preparing for German league in January and Finland next month.”<\/p>\n
1st round:<\/strong> The Indian teenager claimed the first Tour title of the year when he despatched top-seeded Scot Greg Lobban in the final of the Open du Gard, the PSA Challenger 5 squash event marking its sixth year at Squash des Arenes in Nimes, France.<\/p>\n Third seed Mangaonkar made his breakthrough in the semi-finals when he crushed second-seeded Kuwaiti Ammar Altamimi in just 28 minutes,<\/p>\n Now in the fourth Tour final of his career, the 19-year-old from Mumbai had a point to prove when he faced Lobban, a 21-year-old from Edinburgh enjoying his eighth Tour final.<\/p>\n Mangaonkar’s success in last month’s Imet Open in Slovakia came after a five-game final victory over Lobban – the result of which is that both now players share a World No.82 ranking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest"],"yoast_head":"\n
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Open du Gard, Nimes, France<\/strong><\/p>\n
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 (41m)
[8] Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Jonathan Geekie (SCO) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (30m)
Christophe Andre (FRA) bt [6] Thoboki Mohohlo (RSA) 11-4, 11-6, 3-11, 8-11, 11-7 (70m)
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt [Q] Arthur Moineau (FRA) 11-4, 11-13, 12-10, 3-1 ret. (50m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [Q] Ollie Holland (ENG) 11-4 ret.
Youssef Abdalla (ENG) bt [5] Kevin Moran (SCO) 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-1 (47m)
[7] Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) bt [Q] Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-8, 12-14, 18-16, 2-11, 11-5 (56m)
[2] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt [Q] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) 11-7, 11-8, 11-3 (24m)
Quarter-finals:<\/strong>
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [8] Tom de Mulder (BEL) 11-5, 11-4, 14-12 (29m)
Christophe Andre (FRA) bt [4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-2 (72m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Youssef Abdalla (ENG) 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-5 (54m)
[2] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt [7] Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 3-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9 (62m)
Semi-finals:<\/strong>
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Christophe Andre (FRA) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (35m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [2] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 11-9, 11-2, 11-0 (28m)
Final:<\/strong>
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [1] Greg Lobban (SCO) 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (64m)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nimes, France: Mahesh Mangaonkar began the New Year the way he ended 2013 – with title success on the PSA World Tour!<\/p>\n