Commonwealth games 2014: India's star squash players easily advance

Glasgow: India’s star performers in squash, Dipika Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa advanced to the quarterfinals of women’s singles event, while its best bet in men’s section Saurav Ghosal made the last 16 in the 20th Commonwealth Games here. Chinappa defeated Wales’ Deon Saffery 3-1 (11-9 11-6 9-11 11-9) to set a last-eight clash with Koelle King of New Zealand at the Scotstoun Sports Campus. Eyeing a medal after missing out on the last edition at home due to fever, Pallikal thrashed Charlotte Knaggs of Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 (11-4 11-2 11-1). The Chennai girl will take on Delia Arnold of Malaysia in her next match. [caption id=“attachment_1633635” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] Meanwhile, in the men’s section, Ghosal posted a resounding 3-0 (11-4 11-4 11-7) win over Paul Coll of New Zealand. But there were disappointments in store for Harinder Pal Sandhu, Mahesh Mangaonkar and Anaka Alankamony, who failed to progress further after starting their campaign on a positive note. In the round of 32 match, Mangaonkar lost to England’s Peter Barker 0-3 (4-11 6-11 2-11), while Sandhu was shown the door by Alan Clyne of Scotland 2-3 (14-12 9-11 15-13 1-11 -11). Earlier, Ghosal had beaten Jules Snagg of St Vincent And The Grenadines 3-0. To start with, Sandhu had defeated Michael Craig of Northern Ireland 3-0 (11-9 11-5 11-5), and Mangaonkar made short work of Kenya’s Hardeep Reel in the round of 64, before bowing down to England’s third seed Peter Barker in his next match. Alankamony had breezed past Kenya’s Khaleqa Nimji 11-2 11-3 11-6 to reach the round of 32, but could not get the better of Arnold. PTI