Saurav Ghosal and Dipika Pallikal assured India of at least two more Asian Games medals after reaching the semi-finals of their respective singles events at the Yeorumul Squash Courts here Sunday.
Ghosal entered the men's singles semis with a 3-1 win over Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal. The top seeded Ghosal won 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-9 in the quarter-final which lasted 58 minutes.
In the women's singles, Pallikal prevailed 3-2 in a keenly-contested quarter-final against compatriot and doubles partner Joshna Chinappa. She won 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 15-17, 11-9 in an hour and 41 minutes.
Ghosal, who is a two-time Asiad bronze medallist, next faces a tougher opponent in 2006 Asiad champion Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia, who defeated Hong Kong's Au Chun Ming 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7) in the other quarter-final.
The Indian started the game on a bright note against the 20-year-old Iqbal, winning the first game 11-6. But a few mistakes on Ghosal's part allowed Iqbal to equalise 1-1 as the World No.16 Indian went down 9-11.
However, an unflustered Ghosal brought all his experience to the fore and remained calm to get his rhythm back and won the next two games 11-2 and 11-9 to seal the tie in his favour.
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Later, World No.12 Dipika defeated her doubles partner Joshna Chinappa, with whom she won India's maiden squash doubles gold at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, after dropping the opening game in a pulsating contest.
Joshna took the lead with an 11-7 win in the first game but Pallikal bounced back to win the second and third games 11-9 and 11-8. Chinappa restored parity in the fourth, clinching the game 17-15 but Pallikal held her nerve to claim the final game 11-9 to shut the contest.