Montreal: India’s Saurav Ghosal, who recorded a career-high ranking of 17 in October, has reached the quarter-finals of the Financière Banque Nationale Montreal Open, a PSA World Tour International 35 squash event here.
Playing on an all-glass court at the Montreal Forum Thursday, third seed Ghosal faced Australian qualifier Steven Finitsis. After dropping the opening game, Ghosal – India’s highest-ranked player of all-time – recovered to beat the 30-year-old Queenslander, ranked 41 places lower, 7-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 in 57 minutes.
“Won my match 3-1 today after losing the 1st game,” tweeted the 27-year-old from Kolkata later. “Finitsis played a good match & am happy to win that one.”
Chris Simpson, the Guernsey-born 26-year-old who leapt four places to 21 to become England’s fifth highest-ranked player for the first time, beat France’s Gregoire Marche 11-7, 11-7, 12-10.
Simpson goes on to face fellow countryman Adrian Waller in the quarter-finals, while Ghosal meets Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz.
Waller despatched one of three Canadians trying to get into the last eight, beating Toronto-based qualifier Dane Sharp 11-3, 11-5, 11-9.
Aziz, the world No.45 from Cairo, also beat a qualifier, England’s Jaymie Haycocks 11-8, 12-10, 11-6.
While top seed Borja Golan, the world No.9 from Spain, overcame his first round opponent Henrik Mustonen, from Finland, in straight games 11-4, 11-4, 11-5, second-seeded Englishman Daryl Selby was taken to four games by Canadian wildcard Andrew Schnell.
The world No.98 from Calgary kept Selby on court for almost an hour before the world No.14 prevailed 11-7, 13-11, 9-11, 11-3.
Quarter-final line-up:
(2) Daryl Selby (ENG) v Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
(4) Chris Simpson (ENG) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
(3) Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY)
(1) Borja Golan (ESP) v Alan Clyne (SCO)
