New Year targets set as Ghosal eyes gold, consistency and records
By MICHAEL CATLING – Squash Mad Reporter
INDIAN number one Saurav Ghosal is anticipating a busy 2014 campaign, as he looks to lead his country to glory at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
Ghosal, who has recently moved back to his homeland after a 12 year absence, has enjoyed a stellar end to 2013 and after becoming the first Indian to reach the quarter-final stage of the 2013 World Championships in Manchester, he rose to a career-high 15th in the December world rankings.
The world number 15 is expected to represent his country at the Commonwealth Games next year and with the Asian Games scheduled almost immediately after, Ghosal is itching to build on one of his most successful years to date.
“We have two big events coming up in 2014 – the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games – and I want to play in both and win medals,” the Indian Nationals champion (pictured right) told the Business-Standard.
“I played in 13 PSA events this year and I played pretty well and my ranking has gone up to 15. Making the last eight at the Worlds was the high point of my season. The focus now is to make the quarters and the semis on a consistent basis.”
In what Ghosal describes as a golden period for the sport, Dipiki Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa have also catapulted up the world-rankings, with the younger Pallikal picking up two WSA Tour titles along the way.
Earlier this month, teenager Manesh Mangaonkar caused a shock by winning just his second PSA Tour title at the IMET Open and with several Indian youngsters set to compete in the British Junior Open next month, Ghosal is quick to acknowledge the strength of Indian squash.
“No one has gone as far as I did (in the Worlds). Dipika and Joshna have done things that no other women players had done before. We also have Harry (Harinder Pal Sandhu) and Mahesh. We all have a few more years (in the game),” the 27-year-old added.
Source: Business-Standard; Pictures by Steve Cubbins (SquashSite)