Kolkata: India's number one squash player, Saurav Ghosal will look to defend his title for a record seventh time when he battle it out in the 60th National squash championship, starting at the Calcutta Racket Club here Thursday.
The women's field, however, will lack some sheen with big names like Dipika Pallikal and Aparajitha Balamurukan missing out. Dipika, who recently made headlines after becoming the first Indian to break into the world (WISPA) top 10, is currently playing the World Open in the Grand Cayman Island in the Caribbean, while Aparajitha is scheduled to play a tournament in London.
In the duo's absence, it would be an interesting contest between world No 31 Joshna Chinappa and promising 18-year-old Anaka Alankamony, the reigning Asian Junior champion, who have been seeded first and second respectively.
Anaka is currently on a high having won the Ipswich Open in Queensland in October, her second overall and the first title abroad in the women's professional squash tour. Joshna has returned from a seven-month injury layoff, winning Chennai Open in May and IJM Land Penang Open in October as the 26-year-old has jumped to world no 31. It is expected to be a cakewalk for Ghosal, who has been India's number one for more than half a decade now, in the men's section.
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