Ghosal keeps India's hopes alive in Qatar Classic squash

Add as a preferred source on Google

Bengaluru/Doha: October 28: Saurav Ghosal kept India's hopes alive in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Qatar Classic tournament by defeating Egypt's Gamal Mazen 11-3, 11-8, 14-12 in the first-round qualifier.

For place in the main draw of 32, he will tale on Kuwait's Ammar Al Tamimi.

Indian ace Ghosal was in his elements in the 42-minute encounter against Mazen at the glass courts of Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.

Coming into the $165,000 prize-money PSA tournament, Ghosal was in impressive form, having reached the biggest-ever semifinal of his career at the Channel VAS Championships at St George's Hill in Weybridge last week.

The world No.26 continued that in the Qatari capital. Standing between him and a place in the main draw is Ammar who beat Pakistan's Farhan Mehbood 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 in a match that lasted just 24 minutes.

Karim Abdel Gawad is the defending champion of the tournament which runs till November 3. He had defeated Mohamed El Shorbay in an all-Egyptian final last year.

The main draw of the tournament begins on Sunday (October 29).

The Qatar Classic marks the second World Series event of the season for the Men's Tour and presents another chance for players to earn points for the World Series Standings as they bid to qualify for the season-ending PSA World Series Finals - with only the top eight players on the men's standings earning a coveted berth at the lucrative tournament.