JOIN USTitle favourite Saurav Ghosal stormed into the semifinals of the inaugural Bangalore Invitational squash tournament with a third successive straight game victory here on Sunday.
Although he almost assured of his semifinal berth ahead of his final league game against Gaurav Nandrajog, Ghosal took nothing for granted, completing a lop-sided 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 victory at the Karnataka Badminton Association courts.
In the last-four clash on Monday, the World No 22 and reigning national champion will lock horns with Harinder Sandhu, who fought back from an opening game loss to defeat Sandeep Jangra 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5.
Ravi Dixit and Rishi Tandon produced the first five-gamer of the tournament. Dixit lost the opening game 3-11 before levelling things at 1-1 after winning the second 11-3.
Tandon then won the third 11-9 but Dixit hit back, winning the next game 11-4 to push the match into a decider. Both players went toe-to-toe but Dixit held his nerve to seal victory, winning the fifth 11-6 and with it the match. However, despite his fine effort, Dixit failed to qualify for the semifinals.
Results: Ravi Dixit bt Rishi Tandon 3-2 (3-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6); Harinder Sandhu bt Sandeep Jangra 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-5); Saurav Ghosal bt Gaurav Nandrajog 3-0 (11-3, 11-2, 11-4); Siddarth Suchde bt Vikas Jangra 3-0 (11-8, 11-7, 11-6).
Semifinal line-up: Saurav Ghosal vs Harinder Sandhu; Siddarth Suchde vs Gaurav Nandrajog.