Diya Parag Chitale wins two bronze in Croatia

Mumbai girl Diya Parag Chitale completed her campaign in the Croatia Junior and Cadet Open on Sunday on a triumphant note, claiming a second bronze medal in the Cadet Girls’ Singles category. 

The Mumbai girl, who was the only Indian in fray in this prestigious tournament at Varazdin, Croatia, upset World No. 7 and No. 2 seed Satsuki Odo of Japan 11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 12-10 in the quarter-finals to assure herself of a bronze.

She took on World No. 11 and No. 3 seed Elizabet Abraamian of Russia in the semifinals and came within a couple of points of entering her maiden final. However, after leading 11-6, 5-11, 11-7 and sitting pretty in the fourth game till the ninth point she fumbled. She lost that game 9-11 and the decider 5-11 to miss out on a silver, if not a possible gold.

Diya had earlier won a bronze in the Cadet Girls’ (Under 15) team event, in the company of Russia’s Liubov Tentser, and had done well to make the main draw of the Junior Singles as well after winning three tough qualifying 
matches. 

Her good performances over the last few months have earned her a place in Team Asia. She will now play in the World Cadet Challenge Tournament in Fiji from October 21 to October 29. 

“I am happy with the way I played. I lost a couple of matches after being in a good position to close them,” she conceded. “But this has been a good tournament and will do wonders to my confidence,” Diya says.