Saurav Ghosal, India’s Best-At any time Player, Retires From Professional Squash at 37
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Dwelling SportsSaurav Ghosal, India’s Very best-At any time Participant, Retires From Specialist Squash at 37
The Kolkata-born Ghosal remains the only Indian man to achieve the world’s top 10, attaining that occupation-significant rating in April 2019 and spending 6 months there.
Posted: April 22, 2024 9:27 PM IST
By IANS
Saurav Ghosal, India’s Greatest-At any time Player, Retires From Qualified Squash at 37
Mumbai: When the problem came up at the finish of squash competitions at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and soon after squash was confirmed to make its Olympic Online games debut as a medal activity in Los Angeles in 2028, at the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai, Saurav Ghosal claimed he will get a closing connect with on his job after consulting his family members. Ghosal has obtained just about all the honours the activity had to offer you and at 37 was struggling with the concern that each individual sportsperson his age is questioned — how prolonged will he continue on?
On Monday, India’s greatest-ever squash participant took a ultimate contact on his profession and named it quits, saying his retirement from skilled squash at the age of 37 with a bag full of accolades. Ghosal was the trailblazer of Indian squash for a pair of decades and quits as a single of the most thriving squash players the country has ever experienced. The Kolkata-born Ghosal continues to be the only Indian gentleman to achieve the world’s leading 10, accomplishing that job-large position in April 2019 and paying 6 months there.
“I am overcome with thoughts as I create this information. This sport has been my passion, my livelihood, and my id for so quite a few yrs. So, with a heart loaded with pride and a tinge of sadness, I announce my retirement from the PSA,” wrote Ghosal in a write-up on his Instagram website page on Monday. Considering that making his debut on the Qualified Squash Affiliation (PSA) Tour in 2003, the 37-calendar year-previous Ghosal has lifted 10 PSA titles, attained 18 finals and won 281 of his 511 matches on the Tour. Ghosal’s final – and joint most significant – PSA title arrived at the Malaysian Open up Squash Championships in November 2021, wherever he conquer Colombian top seed Miguel Rodriguez in the final. Ghosal created his last look on the PSA Tour at the 2024 Windy Metropolis Open, in which he exited to USA’s Timothy Brownell in the final 64.
“These previous 2 a long time have formed me as a person and I am eternally grateful for the options I have experienced. I hope I have conducted myself with dignity and played the sport ‘the correct way’,” wrote Ghosal about his profession as a squash player. Away from the PSA Tour, Ghosal led India to gold medals in the group occasion at both equally the 2014 and 2022 editions of the Asian Video games and claimed two silver medals in the singles function. He teamed up with compatriot Dipika Pallikal Karthik to acquire gold for India in the mixed occasion at the 2022 WSF Earth Doubles Squash Championships, though he also claimed gold at the Asian Specific Championships in Malaysia five years back. At the Commonwealth Video games in 2018, Ghosal and Deepika gained a silver medal in the combined doubles function in Gold Coastline right before receiving bronze four yrs later on in Birmingham. Ghosal also claimed a bronze medal in the singles event in Birmingham, getting the 1st guy from India in Commonwealth Game titles history to make a medal in the squash singles event.
Ghosal also holds a report of 13 Indian Nationals titles wins, with the final of those coming in 2020. “Nothing would have been feasible without having the aid of my pricey grandparents, my father, my beloved wife, and the relaxation of my cherished household,” claimed Ghosal in his social media post. “They have moulded me into the individual I am these days. My journey would have been incomplete with out the knowledge and mentorship of Malcolm Willstrop, Damon Brown, David Palmer, James Willstrop, Dr. Sheryl Calder, Gayatri Madkekar, Krushmi Chheda and the countless coaches who guided me along the way. Gratitude fills my soul as I accept the Sporting activities Ministry of India, SDAT & SRFI, and Baseline for their steadfast backing all over the years,” stated Ghosal, who became the to start with Indian squash participant to get the Arjuna Award in 2007.
“A heartfelt thank you to my existing sponsors, Tata Capital, Veedol, HEAD, Asics and all other people who have stood by me by thick and skinny. To my devoted admirers, your relentless help has been my driving power as a result of the highs and lows. I are not able to express my gratitude sufficient for the enjoy you have showered on me. “To my fellow gamers, who have become like family members in excess of the many years, I will endlessly cherish the camaraderie and regard shared on the squash courtroom. “Making the prime 10 in the earth in April 2019 will normally be quite expensive to me. Achieving the quarterfinals of the Entire world Championships in 2013 and 2019 are ordeals I will constantly bear in mind fondly,” explained Ghosal. Ghosal, who is married to Diya Pallikal, the sister of his mixed doubles husband or wife Deepika, wants to be involved with the sport even just after his retirement.
“I hope to give back to the video game in India by escalating the participation quantities in faculties all-around the place, in particular the lesser metropolitan areas. With any luck ,, I will add in some little way to bettering the standard level of the gamers in the country and mentoring some of the top rated expertise. And just probably, I’ll operate a huge PSA party,” claimed Ghosal.
