The Hindu : Sport / Squash : Saurav makes semifinals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 17, 2006

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Sport - Squash

Saurav makes semifinals

Sports Reporter

Chennai: Saurav Ghosal transformed himself from a slam-bang tin smacker in the first game to crafty counter puncher and deft dropper in the next three, to enter the semifinals of the ICL Chennai Open (PSA) squash championships, defeating Tom Richards of England 6-11, 11-7, 11-10 (7-5), 11-5 at the ICL-TNSRA squash academy here.

Saurav, with his deft-play, as opposed to his regular ball-smothering brand of squash, thanks to his training with Malcolm Willstrop, picked himself up after being overwhelmed by Richards' pace in the first game.

The crucial game was the third one, after both players pocketed a game each. The quality of squash was high with both players stretching themselves and in no hurry to finish the rallies.

With the score at 10-9 in Richards' favour, a stroke was awarded to Saurav after which the Englishman lost his cool. After the close tie-break that went against him, it was all downhill for the Englishman, who was even issued a conduct warning for a few wall-threatening moments from his racket.

"I had a lot of nervous energy in the first game which didn't help me, and the counter-drops weren't working. I bought down the pace of the ball after that, which was what worked to my advantage. He was hitting it hard, while I was mixing it up," said Saurav on his tactics.

Meanwhile, top-seed Khayal Muhammad Khan was upset by Majid Khan 10-11(0-2), 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 5-11, in his quarterfinal match.

The results: quarterfinals: Saurav Ghosal bt Tom Richards 6-11, 11-7, 11-10 (7-5), 11-5; Dylan Bennett (Ned) bt Wai Hang Wong (Hkg) 11-4, 11-8, 10-11 (0-2), 11-7; Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) bt Yasir Butt (Pak) 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-3; Majid Khan bt Khayal Muhammad Khan 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-5.

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