Hangzhou, (UNI) India’s Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu won the gold medal in the mixed doubles squash tournament at the Asian Games 2023 here on Thursday.
Pallikal and Sandhu defeated Malaysia’s Aifa Azman-Mohd Syafiq Kamal 2-0 (11-10, 11-10) in the mixed doubles final. This is the first time a squash mixed doubles tournament has featured at the Asian Games.
Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal, both gold medallists in team events at the Asian Games, began aggressively and didn’t let the Indian pair settle. Pallikal and Sandhu struggled with their returns as Azman-Kamal raced to a 10-8 lead.
The Indian squash duo upped the ante and saved two game points before winning the first game. Pallikal and Sandhu carried the momentum into the second game and used the side wall to great effect.
Up 9-3, the Indian squash players seemed to be cruising towards the gold but Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal bagged the next seven points to turn the tables.
Once again, Pallikal and Sandhu Dipika managed to save a game point. They stepped up when it mattered to level the score with a backhand smash. He then split both Malaysian players with another strong backhand to win the match and with it, the gold medal.
Saurav Ghosal, meanwhile, lost the men’s singles final against Malaysia’s Ng Eain Yow 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 5-11, 7-11). Ng Eain Yow is the reigning Asian champion in this category.
Ghosal, who won all his men’s singles matches at Hangzhou in straight games, was off to a shaky start. After conceding a 6-1 lead, Ghosal improved his returns to level the scores at 9-9 before eventually winning the game.
Both players were at it in the second set, winning points back-and-forth. However, Ng Eain Yow nicked the game 11-9 to get back on level terms. The Malaysian was all over Ghosal in the third game and edged ahead.
The Malaysian continued his dominance in the fourth game as well and his placements left Ghosal playing catch up. Ng Eain Yow went on to win the decider 11-7 and won his second gold at the Asian Games, adding to the men’s team gold he took home from Jakarta 2018.
India finished their squash campaign at the Asian Games 2023 with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Besides Ghosal and Pallikal-Sandhu, the Indian men’s team bagged a gold medal.
Mixed doubles pair Anahat Singh-Abhay Singh and the women’s team picked up bronze medals in their respective events.
The Hangzhou haul takes India’s squash medal tally at the Asian Games to 18 – three gold, four silver and 11 bronze.
