By IANS
Kolkata : Asian Games bronze medal winner and current national squash champion Saurav Ghosal hopes to break into the top 30 and move up the ladder with a good showing in Pakistan and the British and US Opens.
Talking to IANS Wednesday, Ghosal, recuperating at home from a muscle fibre injury in his left knee, said: “Next week, I will be heading to Islamabad for a two and half star tournament which will have some tough competition. But I hope to do well.”
Asked about his injury, he said: “It’s not very serious. A muscle fibre on the left knee has shifted and the doctor has advised me complete rest. But I should be okay by Aug 18 when the tournament begins.
“The tournament will have some tough local players. This is what makes Pakistan tricky. Besides two of their best – Mansoor Zameen and Aamir Altas – will be playing in the tournament along with the top two from Asia,” he said.
Ghosal already has a place in the tournament’s main draw of the CAS International in Islamabad.
While Zameen is ranked 25 in the world, Atlas is at 29, while Ghosal is ranked 41. The top Malaysian duo, Ong Beng Hee and Azlan Iskander, have also confirmed their participation in the tournament.
Ranked fifth in Asia behind these four, Ghosal hopes to break into the top two by this year-end.
Ghosal moved to Chennai five years ago before shifting to Leeds in 2005. He is enrolled at the Leeds University for an economics course. It is in Leeds that the India number one trains under Malcom Willstrop.
“I study at Leeds and the infrastructure for sports provided there is superb. I also have a physical trainer, Rob Wordsworth, who keeps me fit and ready for the tournaments,” Ghosal said.
After Islamabad, the reigning national champion is entered to play in the English Grand Prix in Birmingham, followed by the British Open qualifiers in Manchester and the US Open qualifiers in New York.
A former junior British Open champion, the Kolkata born player idolises world super stars like Roger Federer and Tiger Woods for their will power and precision-game planning.
“They bring such innovation and perfection into their games. I would like to inculcate that in my game,” he said.
At 21, Saurav is one of the brightest prospects in Indian squash along with Ritwik Bhattacharya.
Ghosal’s finest moment came when he claimed the Asian Games bronze medal in Doha, becoming the first Indian to finish on the podium in squash.
“It was my finest hour and I would like to make my country proud again in the 2010 Asian and Commonwealth Games. But this time my target is gold,” he said.