The only boasting in Saurav Ghosal’s never-growing-old Peter Pan-like squash career, was the delightful nicks that hit the side wall and then trickled to the front walls. On the court, he carried good humour and dollops of humility.
The 37-year-old vividly remembers when he first played squash. With his father watching at the Calcutta Racket Club, an eight-year-old Ghosal loved creating geometrical angles on the court with the racquet and ball.
A day after he announced his retirement from professional squash — he will still represent the country — the 37-year-old recalled his first steps on the court.
“I did not know the names of any squash players at that time. I just started visualizing different angles on the court and it made me go back to the court again and again. That’s what kept me going all these years,” Ghosal told The Indian Express from Chennai.
Saurav Ghosal after winning the Malaysian Open in 2021. (PSA Tour)
While Ghosal started PSA journey at the Country View Open in 2003, 21 years ago, it was his title triumph in the 2004 British Junior Open that pointed to his immense potential after he defeated Egyptian Adel el Said in the final at Sheffield, England. The Kolkata player recalls how the win over the Egyptian gave him a confidence boost that he could be successful at the senior level too.
“It has been a long time since that feat. I remember I was not seeded and my game was not my best at that time. But the quarter-finals win over the third seeded Egyptian made me feel in my bones that if I could win today, I could win the title. The junior British Open title was like a spring for me to make the transition from the junior to senior level and it remains one of the nicest memories of my career,” Ghosal remembered.
From 2003 till his last PSA Tour appearance at the Windy City Open, where he lost against Timothy Brownell of USA in the round of 64, Ghosal played a total of 511 matches on the PSA Tour. The 37-year-old won a total of 281 matches, appearing in 18 PSA Tour finals and winning ten titles.
Ghosal also broke into the top 10 in 2019. It had come on the heels of him reaching the quarters of world championships, PSA Grasshopper Cup and Macau Open. “To reach the top ten had been a dream, the six months among the world’s top ten remains a cherished memory,” Ghosal said.
With Egypt dominating the squash world, Ghosal had his share of wins over some of their top-ranked names in the world. The Indian had a 4-2 win loss record against the current world number nine Marwan El Shorbagy of England in his career. In 2015, the Indian had defeated the former world No.1 to win the Kolkata International and also had two wins against current world No.7 Mohamed El Shorbagy of England in his PSA career.
Saurav Ghosal with former world number one James Willstrop. (Pic by Saurav Ghosal)
“Technically speaking, all Egyptians are very skilled players. As an opponent, one has to find a way to limit their abilities and at the same time, play attackingly to take one’s chances. One can’t be negative against them and I learnt that if one can introduce some new angles at the start against them, then one has a chance. As a norm, cut down the angles and keep the game compact apart from not giving them too much space,” Ghosal said.
Ghosal’s own game matured from being a high energy bounce-ball himself on court to a more cerebral, patient, stamina-based construction of points. Since he wasn’t too tall or muscular and couldn’t impose himself on the T with elbowing physicality, Ghosal played deceptive variations and preyed on opponents’ patience injecting sudden pace and backhand pretzels on the front court. The 37-year-old maintained insane fitness standards dipping into sports science, staying relevant well past his 30.
For the Indian, the rapport with the likes of James Willstrop was special. “All these players have been part of my PSA journey as well as my touring family. James and I would always explore new food outlets and tourist places during our free time and sometimes the talk would be about different perspectives of life. It helps you grow as a person too,” Ghosal added.
The Indian also had a long association with Willstrop’s father and coach Malcolm Willstrop, training at the Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club in England till 2018 before he started training under four-time British Open winner and former world No.1 David Palmer.
“Malcolm was more than a coach for me. He was a father figure and he taught me so much about life. His biggest advice was to simplify the game and to not over complicate things. With time, David understood how I needed to bring intensity to my game and to impose my game against opponents, which helped me in the 2019 World Championships, which I count among my best performances on the professional circuit” Ghosal said of the Chicago high.
Having won India’s first Asian Games singles medal in squash in 2006 Doha games, Ghosal has won a singles medal in every Asian Games since then apart from winning India’s only CWG medal in the 2022 edition. With four team Asian Games medals including last year’s team gold medal in Hangzhou, Ghosal is hopeful of adding more to his trophy cabinet.
“I have some plans regarding introducing squash at the school level apart from working on a blueprint for Indian coaches. I will be available for the World Doubles Team championships for India this year apart from the next Asian and CWG Games. But then I will take it year by year,” said Ghosal.
The two decades of touring mean now with some leisure time he will indulge in music and books and attend to his family. “I like listening to Adele’s songs and once attended her concert in England in 2017. Now that I will not be travelling much, spending time with family will be cherished too,” signs off Ghosal.
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