Birmingham: India had a mixed day at the 2022 Commonwealth Games squash competitions on Thursday with Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal winning their match while Joshna Chinappa and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu getting knocked out in the round of 16 at the Birmingham University Hockey and Squash Centre here.
There was success for India in the women's doubles as Sunayna Kuruvilla and Anahat Singh won their match while the men's doubles pair of Senthilkumar Velavan and Abhay Singh also advanced to the next stage.
All eyes at the squash court were on the seasoned mixed doubles combine of Dipika and Ghosal after the latter bagged his first singles medal in the Commonwealth Games -- a bronze. Dipika is playing less than a year after giving birth to twin boys. The pair had won the mixed doubles title in the World Doubles in Glasgow where Dipika partnered Joshna Chinappa to the women's doubles title in April this year.
On Thursday, Dipika and Ghosal got the better of Emily Whitlock and Peter Creed of Wales, winning 2-0 (11-8, 11-4) in the rather one-sided encounter.
However, a big setback was the defeat suffered by compatriots Joshna and Sandhu to Donna Lobban and Cameron Pilley of Australia. Joshna and Sandhu lost 2-0 (8-11, 8-11).
In women's doubles pre-quarterfinals, Sunayna and Anahat got the better of Yeheni Kuruppu and Chanithma Sinaly of Sri Lanka. They won in straight games 11-9, 11-4 to advance to the quarterfinals.
It was quite easy for the men's doubles pair of Senthilkumar and Abhay as they defeated Luca Reich and Joe Chapman of the British Virgin Islands, winning 11-3, 11-1 in double quick time.
