It was experience over youth on the men's side but youth over experience on the women's at the 2006 Mumbai Open just concluded.

Manish Chotrani defeated Vikas Jangra to lift the men’s singles title in the Rs 52,000 prize money KG-NECC Mumbai Open Squash Championship, which concluded at the Khar Gymkhana Squash Courts, on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Chotrani matched the fitter and younger Jangra from Indian Navy stroke for stroke, racing to two-game lead, before taking a breather of sorts in the third, which he lost and coming back in the fourth strongly to jut demolish the second-seeded player. Chotrani won 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4 to pocket the winner’s purse of Rs 8,000. It was Chotrani’s second major title in four days, having won the ISP-Maharashtra Top 8 event.

Sachika Balwani who will turn 12 next month, possessed enough skills and spunk and rout Kiran Mirpuri 11-1, 11-7, 11-1 to lift the women’s title.

Sachika was never in trouble against the 26-year-old Mirpuri. Sachika, who is now off to play in the German Open, took home Rs 4,000 for her win.

In the boy’s under-19 final, Vikram Malhotra inexplicably lost focus with a 8-4 in the second game, after having won the first game 11-9 to end up eventual loser against top seed Sandeep Jangra. Sandeep Jangra prevailed 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 to take home the winner’s purse of Rs 6,000, while Malhotra had to be content with Rs 4,000.

Abhishek Pradhan defeated the relative newcomer, Ajan Jayant, playing his first squash final. Pradhan struggled to a 11-3, 11-8, 13-11 victory.

The first game between Jangra and Chotrani began at a furious pace, with Jangra racing to a 6-2 lead. However, four continuous shots into the tin helped Chotrani bounce back and Jangra continued making unforced errors to give Chotrani the game.

The experienced Chotrani, used all the time he could between points to get his breath back and was content to keep the ball in play, while the impatient and impetuous Jangra kept making the errors to lose the second game too.

Jangra did manage to bounce back and win third game as Chotrani seemed to be conserving his energy for the fourth.

Results (all finals):
Mens Open: 1-Manish Chotrani bt 2-Vikas Jangra 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4;
Boys U19: 1-Sandeep Jangra bt 2-Vikram Malhotra 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4;
Boys U15: 1-Abhishek Pradhan bt Ajan Jayant 11-3, 11-8, 13-11.
Women’s Open: 1-Sachika Balwani bt Kiran Mirpuri 11-1, 11-7, 11-1.
Men’s over-35: 2-Gopi Mohite bt 1-Jahangir Surti 6-11, 4-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7 .