By Sandip Gopal
From ExpressBuzz.com
Only 22, Saurav Ghosal already has quite a few ‘first and onlys’ to his name — the first Indian to win the British U-19 Junior Open, the only Indian squash player to win an Asian Games medal and the only Arjuna awardee of his tribe.
Besides, Saurav bagged the inaugural Ornano Open in Bordeaux this month, toppling top seeds en route. But the journey has only begun. There are “miles to go”, milestones to mount and promises to be kept.
Excerpts from an interview...
 On winning the Ornano Open
It is my biggest title win to date. That I was an outsider and I upset better-seeded players made it sweeter. Renen Lavinge, who I beat in the quarterfinals, is ranked 27 in the world while Davide Bianchetti, who I beat in the final, is ranked 30. This gives me a lot of confidence to break into the top 30. To win such a big tournament after beating players who are ranked above me is certainly very special. All the hard work I have put in is paying off. Frankly, I had no such hopes prior to the Ornano Open. I entered my name in the tournament because I wanted to see France, a place I have never been to. I didn’t care about the draw.
On his aspirations
As I had a few months’ lay-off, my ranking has dropped. So I am looking forward to regaining lost ground and break into the top 30 by the year end. Hopefully, I can participate in more tournaments, as I have completed my graduation and am a full time professional. Primarily, I want to compete against top players, upset a few of them and win more Professional Squash Association titles. My long-term goal is to be in the top 10 before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. I know it will be tough but, at the same time, it is a realistic goal.
On his stint in England
It has been a great learning curve and I have improved a lot, technically, mentally and physically. My coach Malcolm Willstrop spends so much time with each of his wards and explains even the minute details that can eventually make a big difference — not just in terms of the game, but on how to conduct yourself on the court and how to respect your opponent, no matter how low he is ranked. His knowledge and reading of the game is unbelievable. Besides, the league in Manchester is tough, with top players like James Willstrop and Lee Beachill. Playing there has furnished me with lots of exposure and experience.
On his ride in the top circuit
It has been tough but enjoyable. I have learned a lot and still have to learn a lot. I have played a lot of quality players like Amr Shabana, David Palmer and Karim Darwish. Playing with someone like Shabana is something that I had always dreamt of. Irrespective of the opponent, I have learned something from every match and hope to do the same in the future as well.
On his strengths and weaknesses
My speed, touch in the frontcourt and cross-court drops are my strengths. I feel I have to improve my technique, endurance-level and ball control. But I am looking forward to improving all aspects of my game. To perform well in the top circuit you have to be versatile and unpredictable. You shouldn’t let your opponent get the measure of your game. You have to play differently against different players.
On his camaraderie with Ritwik Bhattacharya
Well, we have been playing and practising together for years. Whenever we go abroad for tournaments, we spent a lot of time together, discussing not just the game. I have lost count of the number of times we have played each other in the domestic circuit. Ritwik has this habit of jotting down his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses after every match and has almost 20 pages on me. I’m too lazy to do that (giggles). He has been an inspirational figure and I respect him a lot. I still remember, I was only 11 and was cheering as loudly as I could when he won his first national title. Clearly, he raised the bar for the game in India.
On promising Indians players
Harinder Pal Sandhu will be the next big player from India. He is extremely focussed and hardworking and has improved a lot in the last few years. Besides, a lot of youngsters are taking up this game and performing well in the junior circuit. This augurs well for Indian squash.
On playing in Chennai
This is a special place. This is where I shaped my career, as well as dreams. I came here as a kid and blossomed into a professional. I owe a lot to this city and the ICL Squash Academy.
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