Ghosal gets top billing in CCI-PSA Squash

MUMBAI: India's No. 1 men's player Saurav Ghosal, currently ranked 16th in the world by the Professional Squash Association, has been given the top billing in the $25,000 CCI-PSA International squash championship, commencing on July 1.
Apart from national champion Ghosal and world No. 30 Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia, who is the second seed, the other top players include 2013 runner-up and world No.47 Mohd. Ali Anwar Reda of Egypt, world No. 44 Abdullah Al Muzayen from Kuwait and Christopher Gordon of US, among a host of overseas players.
Also in the fray are India's Mahesh Mangaonkar, ranked 75 in the world, Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (80), Ravi Dixit, Ramit Tandon and Kush Kumar.
There will be 16 players each in the qualifying and main draws for a total of 32 players.
Four qualifiers will join 12 elite players in the main draw that kicks off the knockout pre-quarterfinals, it was announced at a media conference on Wednesday.
The champion in the six-day tournament would take home $4,500 or 19 per cent of the total prize fund, explained former national champion and PSA's India representative Ritwik Bhattacharya.
"This tournament is good because in India there is a lack of big events where Indians get a chance to earn ranking points. Saurav (Ghosal) has to reach the final and win it but Beng Hee will be quite a challenge," Ritwik said.
Seedings: 1. Saurav Ghosal (India), 2. Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia), 3. Abdullah Al Muzayen (Kuwait), 4. Mohd. Ali Anwar Reda (Egypt), 5. Jaymie Haycocks (England), 6. Zahed Mohamed (Egypt), 7. Christopher Gordon (USA), 8. Kristian Frost Olesen (Denmark).