Ghosal & Bhattacharya Lead Local Charge Into Chennai Quarters

Ritwik Bhattacharya and Saurav Ghosal will represent local interest in the quarter-finals of the 4th ICL Chennai Open after comfortable first round wins at the ICL Squash Academy in Chennai in India.

Second seed Bhattacharya had no trouble in disposing of Rob Sutherland of Wales 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 in 26 minutes. The 26-year-old from New Delhi will now face Pakistan's Yasir Butt, the No5 seed, for a place in the semi-finals.

Ghosal, the No4 seed, had to work harder to earn his victory against compatriot Gaurav Nandrajog, taking 46 minutes to win 11-5, 11-10, 11-5. The UK-based 19-year-old from Chennai will now meet England's Tom Richards, the seventh seed who ended Indian Parthiban Ayappan's run in straight games.

The closest battle of the day saw Dutchman Dylan Bennett overcome Malaysia's Timothy Arnold 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 in 44 minutes.

1st round:
[1] Khayal Muhammad Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Naresh Kumar (IND) 11-6, 11-10 (5-3), 11-7 (30m)
[6] Majid Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Neil Hitchens (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (32m)
[3] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt Timothy Arnold (MAS) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 (44m)
[8] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt Marton Szaboky (HUN) 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 (18m)
[7] Tom Richards (ENG) bt Parthiban Ayappan (IND) 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (18m)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Gaurav Nandrajog (IND) 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (46m)
[5] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt [Q] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (24m)
[2] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)