Bratislava: Five-game victories over the event's top two seeds led to Mahesh Mangaonkar becoming the first Indian winner of the PSA IMET Open, the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 squash event marking its sixth year at the Imet Squash Centrum in the Slovakia capital Bratislava.
The 19-year-old World No.98 from Mumbai made his breakthrough in the semi-finals where he downed two-time champion Jan Koukal, the top seed from the Czech Republic expected to make his fourth final appearance in six years, 13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 13-11 in 98 minutes.
Third seed Mangaonkar then lined up against defending champion Greg Lobban, the No.2 seed from Scotland who was celebrating his third successive appearance in a Tour final.
Despite his heroics less than 24 hours earlier, the Indian teenager was still able to call upon reserves to recover from losing the first game to take a 2/1 lead.
Edinburgh-based Lobban, ranked 82 in the world, dug deep to take the fourth to force a fifth game decider.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Imet Open, Bratislava, Slovakia
1st round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] David Wardle (ENG) 11-2, 13-11, 11-9 (36m)
[Q] Martin Svec (CZE) bt Wojtek Nowisz (POL) 11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-5 (45m)
Jaakko Vahamaa (FIN) bt [Q] Richard Williams (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 12-10 (35m)
[5] Kevin Moran (SCO) bt [Q] Yannick Lindemann (SUI) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (33m)
Christophe Andre (FRA) bt [7] Douglas Kempsell (SCO) 11-9, 8-11, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8 (67m)
Will John (WAL) bt [Q] Ondrej Uherka (CZE) 13-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 (65m)
Jonas Daehler (SUI) bt Anthony Brindle (GIB) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (32m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Tristan Eysele (ENG) 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 (23m)
[4] Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Miroslav Celler (SVK) 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 (25m)
Youssef Abdalla (ENG) bt [Q] Cedric Kuchen (SUI) 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 (25m)
Phillip John Bull (ENG) bt [Q] Farkas Balazs (HUN) 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7 (40m)
Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) bt [8] Ondrej Ertl (CZE) 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 (48m)
[6] Chris Fuller (ENG) bt [Q] Jamie Henderson (SCO) 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 (42m)
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 12-10, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8 (55m)
Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) bt Arthur Moineau (FRA) 10-12, 5-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-2 (60m)
[2] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Damien Volland (FRA) 9-1 ret.
2nd round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Martin Svec (CZE) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (25m)
[5] Kevin Moran (SCO) bt Jaakko Vahamaa (FIN) 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8 (36m)
Christophe Andre (FRA) bt Will John (WAL) 11-7, 11-4, 11-2 (25m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 7-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6 (66m)
[4] Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Youssef Abdalla (ENG) 11-1, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3 (45m)
Phillip John Bull (ENG) bt Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (48m)
[6] Chris Fuller (ENG) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-4 (28m)
[2] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (21m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [5] Kevin Moran (SCO) 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (36m)
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Christophe Andre (FRA) 11-3, 11-4, 13-11 (40m)
[4] Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Phillip John Bull (ENG) 12-10, 11-3, 11-4 (32m)
[2] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [6] Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-4 (64m)
Semi-finals:
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) 13-11, 11-8, 9-11, 7-11, 13-11 (98m)
[2] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [4] Reiko Peter (SUI) 11-6, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4 (57m)
Final:
[3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [2] Greg Lobban (SCO) 7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7 (77m)
