Glasgow triumph was a dream come true for Indian doubles pair
India’s No 1 squash player Dipika Pallikal felt that she and her doubles partner Joshna Chinappa didn’t think they would win the gold in the Commonwealth Games.
“We played extremely well throughout the tournament in the doubles. But in the beginning, we didn’t expect to win the gold. Having won it now, it’s like a dream come true and I will go for more,” she said on the sidelines of a promotional event for Gillette Venus in Chennai on Wednesday.
Speaking about the partnership with Joshna, she told The Times of India: “Josh and I took it step by step and concentrated on playing well in each match. We come together only once in four years for doubles but we share a good bond on and off the field. We understand each other and have a solid game plan ready for every game. It’s good that things fell into place.”
The 22-year-old, who has reached the No.10 spot in the world rankings and is aiming for a place in the top five by the end of the year, said she was happy that her fiance, cricketer Dinesh Karthik, was there to motivate her during the tournament.
“My parents couldn’t be there unfortunately but I am glad Dinesh was there and I could share that moment of glory with him,” she said.
She also hoped that her victory with Joshna would help to raise the profile of squash in India and help to attract more world-class tournaments in the country.
“I really hope our win inspires kids to take up the game. It would also be fitting if the sponsors wake up to the sport and start investing in Indian squash. If we are not able to make things better now, then I don’t see it ever happening in the future,” Pallikal said.
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