Ghosal, Dipika look to make a mark in Malaysian Open

Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa will look to make a mark in the star-studded field when the main round of the USD 50,000 CIMB Malaysian Open kicks off.

Kuala Lumpur: India`s leading squash players -- Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal and Joshna Chinappa -- would look to make a mark in the star-studded field when the main round of the USD 50,000 CIMB Malaysian Open kicks off in the city of Petaling Jaya, here on Wednesday.

The Malaysian Open, first established in 1975, is one of the premier squash events in Asia. Popular among fans and players alike, the tournament attracts top-10 players from across the globe. "The KL Open is one of our big events and I want to play some good squash there. I want to do well in the championship. My target is to break into the top 20 by this year," Chinappa said. Chinappa said she is feeling fitter than ever before. "I did have an injury a year and a half back when I tore my ligament but I am all good now and stronger physically than before my injury," she added. This year`s Malaysian Open line-up is headed by former World No.1 Karim Darwish and Canary Wharf Classic finalist Peter Barker. The prestigious PSA event, to be held from September 11 to 15 at the Curve Shopping Mall, will see the world`s top men`s and women`s players in action. Pallikal said she is looking forward to getting back on the tour after a long off season. "It`s been a long off season. So I`m looking forward to getting back on the tour with the Malaysian Open. I`ve trained hard and looking to do well on the tour. I am looking forward to get some good results," Pallikal said. Pallikal said her target for the year is to break into the top-10 of the world ranking. "It`s been a good off season and I am looking forward to breaking into the top 10 this year. Thankfully, I haven`t had any injury this summer. My trainer has worked on me very hard keeping in mind that I have a full season to play," she added. The 14th seeded Pallikal will meet Ireland`s Aisling Blake in her tournament opener. World ranked 19th, Ghosal said a good showing in the Malaysian Open will hold him in good stead for the World Open in October. "I`m playing six events till the end of the year, starting with the Malaysian Open. The World Open in Manchester, starting on October 28, is obviously the biggest of the lot," he said. Ghosal, who will be playing his tournament-opener against a qualifier on September 12, said he is feeling physically much better. "I feel fine physically right now, which is a great thing. Hopefully, it will stay that way and I can focus on playing better and winning," he said. PTI