Dipika, Ghosal exit from KL Open Squash

Kuala Lumpur - India’s top squash players Dipika Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal lost their respective matches in the KL Open here Thursday.

World No.15 Dipika stretched No.8 Jenny Duncalf to four games before losing 9-11, 5-11, 11-6, 4-11 in the pre-quarterfinals at the National Squash Centre here. The Indian had her moments in the 48-minute contest but it was not enough to trouble her experienced opponent. It was Dipika’s fourth loss against the former World No.2.

Duncalf next faces local favourite and top-ranked Nicol David in the quarterfinals Friday.

Earlier Thursday, Ghosal squandered a 2-1 lead against higher-ranked Tarek Momen to lose 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 5-11 in the men’s first round. It was the second time in three meetings that 19th-ranked Ghosal has lost to Egypt’s World No.11 in five games.

The Egyptian plays Spain’s Borja Golan in the last eight stage Friday.