FIJI’S top squash player Marika Matanatabu maintained his number one ranking with a come from behind 3-1 victory against home town favourite Daniel Fong in the final of the RSR Group sponsored National Championship at the Nadi Sports and Social Club on Saturday evening.
Matanatabu made a slow start going down 8-11 in the first set.
He then used the 90 second break to refocus on his game plan and headed into the fixture with vengeance.
Matanatabu totally outsmarted Fong 11-0 in the second set taking control finishing the encounter 11-3, 11-4.
Matanatabu, who has been taking coaching lessons recently said it was hard to juggle it with his personal training.
“I have been taking coaching lessons so I have been learning from that as well,” he said.
“In the final I made a really slow start. After the first set I came out and got my breath back then reset my focus.
“The Oceania Championship is also scheduled to be held in Fiji should the borders open so I will prepare for that as well.”
The three-day tournament attracted more than 80 players.
Following the overwhelming response, RSR Group chairman Ram Reddy announced that the company would be sponsoring the tournament for the next five years.
Reddy reiterated that the tournament will be hosted at the Nadi Sports and Social Club and not at any other venue.
Results: (Open Novice) Imraaz Ali def Gilbert Deng 11-9, 11-7; Steven Liu def Victor Sharma 11-9, 11-3; Rajneel Kumar def Sandeep Prasad 11-8, 11-4; Elvin Kishor def Christopher Li 11-6, 11-7; Steven Liu def Imraaz Ali 11-7, 11-6; Rajneel Kumar def Elvin Kishor 11-4, 11-5; Kok Kin Yee def Matteo Macaskill 11-9, 12-10; Tharoon Chetty def Dinesh Chetty 11-5, 11-5; Rajneel Kumar def Steven Liu 11-5, 11-6; Kok Kin Yee def Tharoon Chetty 11-2, 11-6.(Open C Grade) Mohit Jogia def Adarsh kaylash Nadan 11-4, 11-2; Roy Deng def HongLiang Yu 11-5, 11-7; Maciu Tuilau def Dhiraj Kaylash Nadan 8-11, 11-5, 11-9; Bryan Nair def Peni Baro 11-5, 11-7; Michael Loo def Nikil Pillai 11-7, 13-11; Savinesh Mudiliar def Bruce Brown 11-8, 10-11, 11-2; Navneet Nair def Yashwin Chetty 11-8, 8-11, 11-7; Roy Deng def Bryan Nair 11-8, 11-5; Mohit Jogia def Jason Pillay 11-9, 11-2; Savinesh Mudiliar def Navneet Nair 11-2, 11-9; Maciu Tuilau def Michael Loo 11-4, 12-14, 11-5; Savinesh Mudiliar def Maciu Tuilau 15-13, 13-11; Roy Deng def Mohit Jogia 11-5, 11-6. (Open B Grade) Satya Nadan def Vikrant Singh 11-5, 11-5, 11-7; Saish Goundar def Robertson Dass 11-3, 4-11, 11-1, 3-11, 11-7; James Shannon def Gocean Mai 11-1, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5; James Shannon def Saish Goundar 9-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-8; Viasi Samisoni def Satya Nadan 7-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3. (Women’s Open) Eleni Tabua def Sera Speed 11-2, 11-3; Camilla Simpson def Linda Barton 11-4, 10-12, 11-7; Robyn Samisoni def Semantafa Samisoni 11-6, 11-7; Ana Bavoro def Nicole Liu 11-3, 11-5; Mavi Matanatabu def Annie Shannon 11-9, 11-5; Heroshani Ranathunga def Adelle Macaskill 11-5, 11-5; Seretha Low def Amyrah Kartiyani 11-6, 10-12, 11-2; Seretha Low Heroshani Ranathunga 11-7, 11-4; Mavi Matanatabu def Camilla Simpson 11-2, 11-3; Ana Bavoro def Serona Fremlin 11-5, 8-11, 12-10; Eleni Tabua def Robyn Samisoni 11-5, 11-8; Seretha Low def Ana Bavoro 11-7, 11-3; Eleni Tabua def Mavi Matanatabu 11-7, 11-3. (Open A Grade) André Roxburgh def Sidhu Iyer 11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4; Zonal Ali def Vinesh Lal 11-8, 11-4, 15-13; Marika Matanatabu def Tim Stats 11-1, 11-8, 11-4; Daniel Fong def Romit Meghji 11-9, 11-8, 11-9; Zonal ALi def André Roxburgh 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-2, 11-2; Romit Meghji def Tim Stats 11-4, 4-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-2; Marika Matanatabu def Daniel Fong 8-11, 11-0, 11-3, 11-4.
