Parkview Open: Velavan falls at last hurdle

Elsherbini too, like Velavan, was aiming for his maiden PSA title and took his chances to eventually win it with a 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 scoreline late on Thursday.

Velavan Senthilkumar... so near yet so far.

Up and coming Indian player Velavan Senthilkumar's dream run came to a halt when Egyptian Mohamed Elsherbini defeated him in the final of the Parkview Open, a PSA World Tour event, in Johannesburg in South Africa.

Elsherbini too, like Velavan, was aiming for his maiden PSA title and took his chances to eventually win it with a 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 scoreline late on Thursday.

Senthilkumar, who upset the top and third seeds en route to the final, did show an ability to counter many of Elsherbini's attacking strokes with his gliding movements on the court, but the rival's accuracy proved superior in the end.

The 19-year-old Chennai boy won one game but the Egyptian looked in control for the better part of the 55-minute tussle.

Velavan Senthilkumar, a qualifier, had, on the way to the final, beaten the No. 1 seed Aqeel Rehman of Austria 11-3, 11-1, 11-5 in the quarterfinals and third-seed Mark Fuller of England 12-10, 11-7, 11-9 in the semifinals.