Saurav Ghoshal added to his growing credentials in the professional squash circuit downing the current world No. 13 Adrian Grant of England in the quarterfinals of the PSA Indian Challenger here at the Calcutta Racket Club on Thursday.
The Indian champion, who is ranked 29th in the world, erased a game's deficit before overpowering the highly favoured Englishman in the next three games.
Saurav, the only Indian hope in the five-star PSA tournament, showed grit and determination in clawing back from a hopeless position to win the second game after a marathon battle.
The Indian, having lost the opening game 8-11, struggled to adjust to the fine drop shots of Adrian Grant, who initially looked to be in control with his all-court game.
Saurav won five consecutive points taking the score to 9-8 in his favour. With Adrian trying to regain his dominance, the game saw a prolonged battle which Saurav finally won 15-13 after the former had neutralised four game points.
The match saw a battle of attrition hereafter as the Indian, high on confidence after winning the gruelling second game, started finding winners while his opponent lapsed into unforced errors. It was only a matter of time before the eighth seeded Saurav won the next two games — 11-5 and 11-7 — to realise one of the biggest wins of his career.
The two most successful Indian names in the international women's circuit — Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal — continued to show good form moving into the semifinals of the WISPA event. The third seeded Joshna prevailed over unseeded Gaby Schmohl of Switzerland while fourth seeded Dipika Pallikal had it easy against compatriot and fifth seeded Anaka Alankamony.
In the semifinals Joshna will take on second seeded Emma Beddoes of England while Dipika will meet top seeded Sharon Wee of Malaysia, who beat seventh seeded Aparajitha Balamurukan of India in the quarterfinals.
In the men's semifinals Saurav will take on the current world No. 17 and third seeded Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy, who beat fifth seeded Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia in the quarters. The other contest for the title round will be between second seeded Cameron Pilley of Australia and seventh seeded Tarek Momen of Egypt.
The results: Men's (PSA, quarterfinals): Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Adrian Grant (Eng) 8-11, 15-13, 11-5, 11-7; Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy) bt Ong Beng Hee (Mas) 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9; Tarek Momen (Egy) bt Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Mas) 11-7, 11-9, 11-6; Cameron Pilley (Aus) bt Jonathan Kemp (Eng) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6.
Women's (WISPA, quarterfinals): Sharon Wee (Mas) bt Aparajitha Balamurukan (Ind) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7; Dipika Pallikal (Ind) bt Anaka Alankamony (Ind) 11-5, 11-2, 11-2; Joshna Chinappa (Ind) bt Gaby Schmohl (Sui) 11-8, 11-13, 11-5, 11-9; Emma Beddoes (Eng) bt Milou Van Der Heijden (Ned) 11-1, 11-5, 11-2.
