CWG: Mixed day for India in squash events

It was a mixed day for India in the squash events as Joshna Chinappa, Dipika Pallikal and Vikram Malhotra advanced to the round-of-16 while Saurav Ghoshal and Harinder Pal Sandhu suffered heartbreaking losses at the Commonwealth Games here on Thursday.

In women's singles category, Chinappa outplayed Lynette Vai of Papua New Guinea 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-2) in 13 minutes while Dipika Pallikal overpowered Charlotte Knaggs of Trinidad and Tobago 3-0.

In the men's singles category, it was a cakewalk for Malhotra, who outplayed Manda Chilambwe of Zambia 3-0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-2) in the round-of-64, and he only took 13 minute to beat Xavier Koenig of Mauritius 3-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-0).

Ghoshal, who was beaten 2-3 by Jamaica's Chris Binne in the round-of-32, played brilliantly in the first two games but lost the next three to bow out of the meet.

In a marathon match which lasted more than an hour, Ghoshal wrapped up the first two games comfortably 11-5, 11-7. But lost narrowly in the next two (8-11, 9-11).

In the decider, it all boiled down to the last point and the Jamaican player held his nerves and went on to clinch the issue.

"I don't have words to explain my loss @GC2018 today! 'Shattered' would be a good start. I'm sorry to everyone who has supported me over the last year. I'm sorry to India for not fulfilling their hopes from me. I'm just sorry," Ghoshal tweeted after the match.

Sandhu, who played handsomely in the round-of-64 match in which he outplayed Cameron Stafford of Cayman Islands 3-1, lost 0-3 (8-11, 6-11,1-11) in the round-of-32 to Ivan Yuen Malaysia to end his run at the prestigious meet.

--IANS

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