Indian hope Saurav Ghosal scripted the biggest win of his career when he upstaged world no 13 and reigning champion Adrian Grant to sail into the semi-final of the Indian Challenger squash tournament in Kolkata on Thursday.
Ranked 29th, Ghosal will now face world number 17 Mohammad El Shorbagy of Egypt in their semi-final clash at the Calcutta Racket Club squash courts.
In the women's challenger, Indian ace Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal notched up convincing wins over their respective opponents to make the last four.
In a battle lasting one hour and 27 minutes, eighth seeded Ghosal came back from one game behind and settled the issue 8-11, 15-13, 11-5, 11-7 to show the top-seed, Grant, the exit door.
Trailing 5-8, the national champion unleashed precise winners to equalise, before losing the plot with a couple of unforced errors. The game appeared to be going Grant's way as the world number 13 raced off to lead 8-4 in the second set.
But Ghosal was in no mood to give up and banking on some elementary errors from Grant, together with his own barrage of winners, gained the upper hand to take a 9-8 lead.
However, things were far from being over due to Grant's persistence as Ghosal leveled the proceedings and win it 15-13 only after as many as five set points.
Thereafter, it was sheer dominance on the part of the home boy with his delicate slices and drop-shots. Ghosal sealed his opponent's fate with a clinical show in the third, while Grant looked drained out after the intriguing second set that lasted for 28 minutes.
He made one last effort for a comeback in the fourth and penultimate set, winning three points in a row while trailing 4-8. It was all too late by then, as Ghosal did not lose composure and kept his nerves to complete the formalities.
Third-seeded Shorbagy downed Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in another quarter-final match.
In another semi-final, world ranked 26th Tarek Momen (Egypt) will face a challenge from Australian Cameron Pilley, who is ranked 15th in the world.
Second seeded Pilley won easily against Jonathan Kemp of USA 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 in 50 minutes. Momen, seeded seventh, upset fourth seed Mohammad Azlan Iskander (world no 16) in another quarterfinal match.
In the women's challenger, Indian ace Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal notched up convincing wins over their respective opponents to make the last four.
Joshna had a brief hiccup losing her way in the second set -- conceding it 11-13 -- after winning the first 11-8. But she made short work of her Swiss opponent Gaby Schmohl wrapping the next two 11-5 and 11-9.
Third seeded Joshna will face second seeded Emma Beddoes of England in the semis. World ranked 33rd, Emma beat Milou Van Der Heijden of the Netherlands 11-1, 11-5, 11-2.
Dipika, however, had no trouble at all to get past compatriot Anaka Alankamony 11-5, 11-2, 11-3. Dipika will take on top-seed Sharon Wee of Malaysia in the other semis encounter.
World ranked 30th, Wee got the better of Aparajitha Balamurukan 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 to make the semis.
