Asian Games 2023 squash: Saurav Ghosal enters semi-finals, confirms medal

Saurav Ghosal advanced to the men’s singles semi-finals while two Indian mixed pairs also made the last four to confirm three medals for India in Asian Games 2023 squash competitions in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Tuesday.

Saurav Ghosal defeated Japan's Ryunosuke Tsukue 3-0 (11-5, 12-10, 11-3) in the men's singles quarter-finals to seal a place in the last four. With the win, the veteran Indian squash player confirmed a medal at the Hangzhou Games.

The 37-year-old Saurav Ghosal opened his men’s singles campaign with a comfortable win over Kuwait’s Ammar Al Tamimi in the pre-quarterfinals on Monday. Another Indian, Mahesh Mangaonkar, lost in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

In the mixed doubles, veteran Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu beat the pair of Jemyca Aribado and Robert Andrew Garcia of the Philippines 2-1 (7-11, 11-5, 11-4) to set up a semi-final clash against Hong Kong China on Wednesday. The Indian duo had accounted for the Japanese pair of Risa Sugimoto and Tomotaka Endo 2-0 (11-5 11-5) earlier in the day to top Pool A.

The other Indian mixed doubles pair of Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh defeated Yeonsoo Yang and Dongjun Lee of the Republic of Korea 2-1 (11-4, 8-11, 11-1) to set up a semi-final clash against Malaysia. Earlier in the day, Anahat Singh-Abhay Singh beat Hong Kong China's Tsz Wing Tong and Ming Hong Tang 2-0 (11-10, 11-8) in their final Pool D.

Meanwhile, Tanvi Khanna lost 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 14-12) against Japan’s Satomi Watanabe in the women’s singles quarter-finals as India’s challenge in the category wrapped up. Joshna Chinappa had bowed out in the round of 16.