Thaindian News

Chennai, July 4 (IANS) Local teenager Dipika Pallikal played a flawless match to enter the semi-finals at the $8,000 ICL Chennai Open squash tournament, defeating top seed and World No. 33 Christina Mak from Hong Kong here Friday. After winning a close first game, Dipika looked superior and took full control of the match with her aggression to beat the more experienced Mak 9-7, 9-5, 9-3 in just over half-hour in this WISPA event.

Dipika plays Orla Noom from the Netherlands Saturday. The Dutch player had a narrow escape against Anwesha Reddy winning 3-9, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1, 9-2.

In the other semi-final, second seed Joshna Chinappa and No.4 Annie Au will face each other.

Meanwhile, in the PSA men’s event, which is also a part of the same tournament, the proceedings went as per the script with National champion and top seed Saurav Ghosal leading the field into the semi-finals.

Ghosal took barely 48 minutes in putting out Rob Suderland from Wales to set up a meeting with third seeded Ryan Cuskelly (Australia) who overcame Dick Lau (Hong Kong) in four games that lasted nearly an hour.

Second seed Ritwik Bhattacharya eliminated fellow-Indian and qualifier Harinder Pal Sandhu in straight games and will take on Egypt’s Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the fourth seed, in the semi-finals.

The results (seeding in brackets):

Women’s quarter-finals: (5) Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt (1) Christina Mak (HKG) 9-7, 9-5, 9-3 (34 mins); (3) Orla Noom (NED) bt (7) Anwesha Reddy (IND) 3-9, 8-10, 9-5, 9-1, 9-2 (42 mins); (4) Annie Au (HKG) bt Harita Omprakash (IND) 9-2, 9-0, 9-1 (24 mins); (2) Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt (6) Birgit Coufal (AUT) 9-2, 9-6, 9-2 (22 mins).

Men’s quarter-finals: (1) Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt (8) Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-8, 15-13, 11-5 (48 mins); (3) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt (5) Dick Lau (HKG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-3 (56 mins); (4) Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt (7) Max Lee (HKG) 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (25 mins); (2) Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt (Q) Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 11-8, 13-11, 11-8 (38 mins).