CWG: Dipika lifts Saurav, Joshna; Vikram-Ramit bow out (Squash Roundup)

India's Dipika Pallikal partnered Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa to advance to the final and semi-finals of the mixed doubles and women's doubles squash events respectively, even as the men's doubles combination of Vikram Malhotra and Ramit Tandon exited the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Friday.

In the mixed doubles, Dipika and Saurav stormed into the final after defeating New Zealand's Joelle King and Paul Coll 2-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-10) in a fantastic come-from-behind win in 50 minutes.

After losing the opening game narrowly in 15 minutes, the Indian pair bounced back well in the second that lasted for 13 minutes.

There was a neck-to-neck contest in the decider which saw both sides fighting for each point but eventually Dipika and Saurav kept their nerves to clinch the game and the match in 21 minutes.

The Indians will now take on Australia's Donna Urquhart and Cameron Pilley in the summit clash on Saturday.

In the women's doubles event, Dipika, who then joined Joshna, entered the semi-finals after the Indian duo registered a fantastic come-from-behind 2-1 (7-11, 11-5, 11-9) win over Canada's Samantha Cornett and Nikki Todd at the Oxenford Studios here.

The opening game witnessed a complete domination from the Canadian pair, which saw them pocketing the affair in just nine minutes.

Dipika and Joshna came back strongly and didn't allow the opponents any room to get back in the second game that lasted for 16 minutes.

The Indians continued their domination in the third game as well, comfortably pocketing it in 11 minutes.

In the semi-finals on Saturday, Dipika and Joshna will be up against English pair of Laura Massaro and Sarah-Jane Perry.

However, there was disapointment for India from the men's double competition as it was the end of road for Vikram Malhotra and Ramit Tandon.

The Indian pair was handed a 1-2 (11-10, 8-11, 5-11) defeat by England's Declan James and James Willstrop in the 48-minute long quarter-final.

Despite narrowly winning the first game 10-11, Vikram and Ramit succumbed to the English pair's aggression in the next two games to go down 8-11, 5-11.

--IANS

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