Squash News
At $16K Crocodile Challenge Cup 2011, Hong Kong

[F] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,17) bt (4) Joey Chan (HKG,20) 10-12 11-8 10-12 11-8 14-12 (60m)

[SF] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,17) bt (2) Sarah Kippax (ENG,16) 11-6 11-3 11-6 (29m)
[QF] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,17) bt (5) Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS,42) 11-5 11-6 11-1 (21m)
[R1] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,17) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG,68) 11-7 11-5 6-11 11-3 (35m)

Dipika won her 5th WISPA title and her third of the year winning Crocodile cup in Hong Kong ... In the final Dipika had a very close match with local WR #20 Joey ... Joey take 2-1 sets lead winning 2 sets in extra points ... Dipika won the fourth game but Joey had advantage in the fifth ... She take 7-4 lead before Dipika fought back and after saving match balls Dipika won this decider set in tie-break to complete memorable victory.

Dipika Pallikal - "I am so glad that I could end the year on a high. I think what made the difference is that I had my coach Sarah Fitz-Gerald with me during this tournament. Getting her to travel with me will help me a lot. I hope I get more sponsor support so that I have my coach traveling with me during tournaments."

"Beating Sarah on Saturday just got my confidence up cause she's a very experienced player. I had to use the front court a bit more because I felt I would get most of my points there and the plan worked. Playing Joey (Chan) in the final was always going to be tough. Playing front of home crowd gave her a lot of confidence. I am so happy to win this tournament and it will hopefully help me get up a few places in the rankings."

"I am confident of beginning the next season on a good note. As for now, it is holiday time and two weeks I will spend time with family and friends. The new season starts in the second week of January."

Squash News
At $143k Women's World Open, Rotterdam, Netherlands

[QF] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) l (15) Samantha Teran (MEX,17) 6-11 8-11 9-11

Dipika failed to continue with her terrific winning run ... Mexican girl proved too strong for her ... After losing the first set Dipika tied hard in next two sets but Samantha kept winning important points to win this quarter-final.

Before this both played two times and Teran has won both their meetings, in March this year in the Kuala Lumpur Open and the World Cup ... Still this was Dipika's best performance reaching quarter-final at World event.

Squash News
At $143k Women's World Open, Rotterdam, Netherlands

[R2] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) bt (Q) Kanzy El Dafrawy (EGY,36) 11-6 11-7 11-7

[QF] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) vs (15) Samantha Teran (MEX,17)

Dipika in the quarters at World open ... She will be the first Indian player to enter into top 15 World squash ranking when next ranking will get updated.

Today she defeated Egyptian qualifier quite easily in straight sets ... Next she is facing Mexican girl, who today upset WR #5 Australian Rachael Grinham in 4 games.

Dipika Pallikal - "Last time I played against Kanzy, it was in the juniors, and she beat me 3/1. And yesterday, when I heard I was playing her instead of Omneya, I suddenly became very nervous, because I am better ranked than her, I didn’t want to lose and the pressure suddenly was too much.

So I call Sarah in Australia, telling her, I’m so nervous, I don’t know what to do. And she calmed me down….

It’s very difficult for me to celebrate, because my uncle George suddenly passed away a few days ago, and all my family is together in India to overcome that terrible moment, and I thought I was going to have to pull out of this tournament. But then I was made to realise that the best way for me to honour his memory was to do the best I could here, and to make him proud of me."

Squash News
At $275k Men's & $143k Women's World Open, Rotterdam, Netherlands

[R1] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) bt (15) Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL,16) 11-8 9-11 11-8 11-7 (52m)

[R2] Saurav Ghosal (IND,26) l (12) Laurens Jan Anjema (NED,15) 4-11 11-9 6-11 5-11 (65m)
[R2] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) vs (Q) Kanzy El Dafrawy (EGY,36)

Dipika scored excellent upset win over New Zeland's Jaclyn Hawkes in close match ... After winning the first set Dipika lost the second due to unforced errors but she came back strongly winning next two games ... Next she is facing Egyptian qualifier, who upset her top-20 country girl in the first round.

Saurav tried in this second round match but seeded Dutch player proved strong for him ... Saurav managed to win the second set but in others he failed to produce fight.

Squash News
At $275k Men's & $143k Women's World Open, Rotterdam, Netherlands

[R1] Saurav Ghosal (IND,26) bt (Q) Davide Bianchetti (ITA,62) 11-5 14-12 DISQ (35m)

[R2] Saurav Ghosal (IND,26) vs (12) Laurens Jan Anjema (NED,15)

Italy's Davide Bianchetti argued with refree at 12-all in the second to get a conduct game awarded against him ... Then during the interval Bianchetti continued to argue and passing comments to the referee as they were about to start the third ... At that time the referee's patience ran out and the match was awarded to Saurav.

Squash News
At $275k Men's & $143k Women's World Open, Rotterdam, Netherlands

[Q1] Siddarth Suchde (IND,64) bt Sander van Tour (NED,398) 11-2 11-5 11-3 (19m)

[Q2] Siddarth Suchde (IND,64) l Shawn Delierre (CAN,58) 7-11 8-11 8-11 (67m)

[R1] Saurav Ghosal (IND,26) vs (Q) Davide Bianchetti (ITA,62)
[R1] Dipika Pallikal (IND,19) vs (15) Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL,16)

Siddarth played qualifying in this big World Open but lost in the final qualifying in close match.

Dipika having good chance to scored upset win over similar ranked seeded player ... Winnable first round against qualifier for Saurav.

Squash News
At $11K WISPA Dread Squash Series 2, Baltimore, USA

Final
(1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,20) bt Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG,115) 11-9 11-3 11-7 (33m)

[SF] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,20) bt (Q) Larissa Stephenson (NZL,130) 11-3 11-7 11-5 (27m)
[QF] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,20) bt (5) Sarah Cardwell (AUS,69) 11-4 11-3 11-6 (27m)
[R1] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,20) bt (Q) Georgine Stoker (ENG,204) 11-7 11-5 11-3 (23m)

Dipika Pallikal won her second WISPA tournament title and celebrated her entry into top 20 world ranking ... With that she become highest ranked Indian women player in the squash ... In this tournament nobody able to stretched her in the match ... Still her British opponent in the final gave her some trouble in the first game ... Dipika was down 5-9 before winning next six points in a row to win it 11-9.
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At $147K Qatar Classic 2011, Doha

[Q1] Siddarth Suchde (IND,69) bt Leo Au (HKG,100) 11-7 11-13 11-4 11-1 (62m)
[Q1] Harinderpal Sandhu (IND,115) l Mohammed Abbas (EGY,35) 10-12 10-12 11-8 9-11 (60m)

[Q2] Siddarth Suchde (IND,69) bt Matthew Karwalski (AUS,72) 9-11 11-4 11-6 12-10 (57m)

[R1] Saurav Ghosal (IND,32) l Cameron Pilley (AUS,16)6-11 10-12 7-11 (54m)
[R1] (Q) Siddarth Suchde (IND,69) bt Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY,23) 11-8 11-6 9-11 11-1 (64m)

[R2] (Q) Siddarth Suchde (IND,69) l (6) Gregory Gaultier (FRA,6) 3-11 3-11 8-11 (44m)

Siddarth Suchde scored huge upset win over top 25 Egyptian player Reda as an qualifier in big Qatar open ... In the second round he lost against former WR #1 Frenchman Gaultier in the straight games.

Squash News
At $9K Orange County Open 2011, Irvine, California, USA

Final
(1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,24) bt (Q)Yathreb Adel (EGY,74) 11-6 12-10 11-9 (60m)

[SF] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,24) bt (8) Misaki Kobayashi (JPN,53) 11-9 13-11 11-6 (40m)
[QF] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,24) bt (5) Siyoli Waters (RSA,51) 11-5 11-6 11-8 (40m)
[R1] (1) Dipika Pallikal (IND,24) bt (Q) Kristen Lange (USA,104) 11-3 11-7 11-4

Top-seed Dipika lifted Orange County title without losing game ... In the final only Egyptian qualifier tested her in ah hour long match.

Squash News
At 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship, Paderborn, Germany

For 7th Position
#6 India l #8 USA 0-2

Saurav Ghosal l Julian Illingworth 9-11 11-2 11-13 7-11 (50m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar l Todd Harrity 11-6 5-11 11-7 2-11 5-11 (51m)

Disappointing result for Indians ... After losing yesterday's match to Italians they lost this 7th position match against Americans to finished on 8th place.

Squash News
At 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship, Paderborn, Germany

For 5th to 8th Positions
#6 India l #9 Italy 1-2

Siddharth Suchde l Marcus Berrett 5-11 11-6 4-11 0-11
Saurav Ghosal bt Davide Bianchetti 11-5 6-11 11-7 11-3
Harinder Pal Sandhu l Amr Swelim 9-11 11-8 4-11 11-5 8-11

India lost to Italian side so now they will face USA for 7th position ... Marcus Berrett gave Italian 1st point beating Siddharth easily ... Saurav won his match against Italian top-seed to make it 1-all ... In decider Amr Swelim gave important victory to Italian scoring 3-2 victory over Sandhu.

Squash News
At 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship, Paderborn, Germany

Quarter Final
#6 India l #4 Australia 0-2

Saurav Ghosal l David Palmer 11-7 8-11 4-11 6-11
Siddharth Suchde l Cameron Pilley 9-11 8-11 4-11

Higher ranked Australians defeated Indians to moved into the semis ... Saurav started with winning the first game against former WR #1 but after winning the second game Palmer won last 2 easily.

Now Indians will play against Italians for 5th to 8th positions.

Squash News
At 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship, Paderborn, Germany

Round 16
#6 India bt Denmark 2-0

Harinder Pal Sandhu bt Morten W Sorensen 11-6 11-1 11-8 (29m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Kristian Frost 11-6 11-5 9-11 11-9 (66m)

Indians moved to quarter-final with 2-0 win over Danish side ... In quarters they r having tough challenge of 4th seed Aussie team.

Squash News
At 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship, Paderborn, Germany

Pool F
#6 India bt #11 South Africa 3-0

Siddharth Suchde bt Shaun Le Roux 7-11 11-7 8-11 11-1 11-6 (80m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu bt Clinton Leeuw 12-10 9-11 6-11 11-9 11-8 (83m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Steve Coppinger 11-5 11-3 11-4 (28m)

#6 India bt Kuwait 3-0

Saurav Ghosal bt Abdullah Almezayen 7-11 11-9 11-1 11-6 (39m)
Siddharth Suchde bt Ammar Al-Tamimi 11-4 11-4 11-5 (30m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu bt Ali B Al-Ramzi 11-8 11-5 11-5 (24m)

#6 India bt Hungary 3-0

Siddharth Suchde bt Sandor Fulop 11-6 11-5 11-9 (30m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Marton Szaboky 11-6 11-4 11-3 (28m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu bt 11-5 11-4 11-9 (25m)

6th seed India were in Pool F with 11th seed South Africa, Kuwait and Hungary in 23rd World Men's Team Squash Championship ... South African men stretched 2 matches into 5 games but we won the group winning all matches.

In R16 knockout stage we r facing unseeded Denmark who upset 12th seed Pakistan in their pool match.

Squash News
At $60K Malaysian Open 2011, Kuala Lumpur

[R1] (Q) Dipika Pallikal (IND,26) l (5) Kasey Brown (AUS,6) 11-6 4-11 11-13 11-7 3-11 (76m)

[Q] Dipika Pallikal (IND,26) bt (1) Jacklyn Hawkes (NZL,17) 11-7 9-11 11-3 11-7 (51m)

This week in prestigious Malaysian Open tournament, Dipika qualified for main-draw upsetting WR #17 Hawkes in 4 games ... In the main-draw she stretched Aussie WR #6 Kasey Brown to 5 games before losing the match ... Good performance by Dipika.
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At $26K WISPA des Pyramides 2011, Port Marly, France

[SF] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,26) l (1) Camille Serme (FRA,10) 6-11 4-11 9-11 (42m)
[SF] (6) Joshna Chinappa (IND,34) l (2) Natalie Grinham (NED,16) 10-12 4-11 2-11 (29m)

[QF] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,26) bt (8) Tenille Swartz (RSA,49) 11-9 11-3 11-9 (18m)
[QF] (6) Joshna Chinappa (IND,34) bt (4) Aisling Blake (IRL,24) 11-9 11-7 9-11 11-3 (47m)

[R1] (3) Dipika Pallikal (IND,26) bt Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG,53) 11-2 15-13 11-2 (45m)
[R1] (6) Joshna Chinappa (IND,34) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG,55) 4-11 11-4 11-5 11-8 (41m)

Dipika played at French tournament and performed as per her ranking.

Joshna also played in French tournament and scored upset win to reached into semis ... Overall decent performance.

Squash News

Big congrats to Dipika Pallikal, who reached her personal best ranking in latest WISPA ranking, #27 ... With this she also equal the best ladies singles squash ranking by any Indian player, before this Misha Grewal was #27 ranked in March 1995.