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Indian squash player Ramit Tandon stunned third-seeded Victor Crouin to reach the semifinal of the Ace Malaysia Squash Cup at S2 Sports Complex in Seremban on Wednesday, November 8.
The World No.43, Tandon, registered his first win over his younger French opponent, having lost in the previous three ties against him. Despite trailing by 2-1, the Indian remained calm and composed to rally past the 24-year-old 12-10, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6.
This will be his first major semi-final appearance in a big PSA tour event in the last four years. Ramit Tandon picked seven successive points in the first game to cut Crouin's massive advantage to 10-5.
Encouraged by his father between the games, Crouin sealed the second and third games comprehensively. Tandon wasn't perturbed and bounced back. He read his opponent's game well and shifted the pressure on him by enforcing the tie to the fifth game.
"I was just trying to play as well as I could. Victor is a solid player, and he is one of those players that you really need to dig deep against to beat," Ramit Tandon said on his thrilling encounter against Crouin.
Tandon will next face Egypt's 22-year-old Mostafa Asal in the semi-final on Thursday. The match is expected to start at 2:15 PM (IST) in Seremban and will be live-streamed on Squash TV.
Notably, veteran Indian player Saurav Ghosal bowed out of the quarterfinal 4-11, 2-11, 6-11 against Asal in straight games.
Ramit Tandon, Saurav Ghosal propelled India to first gold in the Asian Team Squash Championship
India won the semi-final against Malaysia despite trailing in the first game, thanks to the impressive wins by Saurav Ghosal and Ramit Tandon in their respective ties against Eain Yow Ng and Addeen Idrakie in November last year.
In the final, both Saurav and Ramit won the first two games to give India an unassailable lead in the best-of-three final against Kuwait. Notably, this was India's first-ever gold medal at the continental event.
