Ghosal off to flying start

Indian packs off American Illingworth in opener

Ghosal, the seven-time national champion, also avenged his loss to Illingworth in August at the World Team squash championship in Germany. The 29th-ranked Indian overcame the tight first game against the American before racing away in 42 minutes.

The two were locked 10-10 before Ghosal came up with a deft drop which was followed by a superb backhand to go up by a game. Illingworth, upset over a few calls, however, let it migrate to his game and made a stream of errors even as Ghosal gained in confidence.

The Indian teased Illingworth, ranked 28th, with his angles and clever change of pace with the American managing to eke out only six points in the remaining two games.

Ghosal said he could not have asked for a better start. “I had lost to him in the World event, so it feels good to beat him 3-0. Winning the first game gave me the impetus. I started the second game solid getting off to a 5-1 start and that made the difference. I did pretty well to put him under the pressure throughout,” Ghosal said.

Ghosal is next up against World No 7 and fifth seed Peter Barker of England, who dispatched Olli Tuominen of Finland 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 in just 25 minutes, against whom he lost in the Commonwealth Games last year. “I hope to do better this time around,” Ghosal said. “He has a solid play and that is why he is world no 7. I have to raise my game to win,” Ghosal added.

In another match, top seed Ramy Ashour of Egypt overcame a nervy start to win 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9 against Nafizwan Adnan of Malaysia in an encounter that lasted just 42 minutes. “I was not very confident in the beginning because I am retuning from a two month injury break. There was a lot going into my head. He (Adnan) played very good first game. I am glad to pull it off,” Ashour said.
Third seed James Wilstrop of England, too, had to rally from a game down before winning 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5.

Results (first-round): Alister Walker (Bot) bt Alan Clyne (Sco) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5; Peter Barkar (Eng) bt Olli Touminen (Fin) 11-4, 11-4, 11-1; Simon Rosner (Ger) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4; Daryl Selby (Eng) bt Mohammed Abbas (Egy) 11-4, 11-7, 11-9; Saurav Ghosal (Ind) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 12-10, 11-4, 11-2; Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt Nafizwan Adnan (Mal) 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9; James Wilstrop (Eng) bt Nicolas Mueller (Swi) 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5; Cameron Pilley (Aus) bt Jonathan Kemp (Eng) 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11.