Thaindian News

Kolkata, April 13 (IANS) The country’s top ranked player Saurav Ghosal will spearhead the domestic challenge in the $50,000 five-star category Professional Squash Association (PSA) Indian Challenger slated to be played here April 14-17.
Simultaneously, the venue Calcutta Racket Club will also for the first time stage the $8,000 Women International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Indian Challenger.

The PSA tourney, the biggest ever such event in eastern India, will also see in action country’s second ranked player Siddharth Suchde in the main draw.

Ghoshal, now world number 29, is the tournament eighth seed. The 25-year-old begins against the lower ranked Aaron Frankcomb of Australia in the opening round Wednesday. The winner will be up against top ranked and world number ten Englishmen Adrian Grant in the quarter final. Grant is the defending champion.

Ghosal had narrowly lost out to title contender Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia in a last eight battle in 2009.

Suchde, a wild card entrant, has a tough battle against fourth seed and former tournament champion Mohd. Azlan Iskandar in the first round Wednesday.

The draw features several players from the top twenty of the world comprising Cameron Pilley (WR 14) of Australia and Mohamed El Sorbagy (WR 16) from Egypt.

In the WISPA, Sharon Wee (WR 30) from Malaysia, Emma Beddoes (WR 33), and India’s Joshna Chinappa (WR 34) and Dipika Pallikal (WR 49) will be among those vying for honours.

In 2005, the club had hosted the first ever international championship in the Eastern India followed by tournaments in 2008 and 2009. With the tournaments succeeding, the prize money has been raised from $30,000 last year to $50,000.