Veteran Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal made a stunning comeback earlier this month, dismissing any doubts about his form by clinching the PSA Challenger title at the Octane Sydney Classic in Sydney, Australia. Playing his first tournament after retirement, Saurav showed his top game by beating Egypt’s Abdelrahman Nassar in the finals with straight-game victories (11-2, 11-6, 11-2) to win the title.
Saurav Ghosal in PSA Challenger
Despite his hiatus from the PSA tour, Saurav Ghosal was in top form, expertly working through long rallies that actually disrupted Nassar’s strategy. The Egyptian could only secure ten points throughout the match. Ghosal’s dominance was evident from the start as he only dropped a single game during the tournament, losing against Rhys Dowling of Australia in the semifinals. Prior to this, he achieved straight game victories over Kijan Sultana of Malta and Minwoo Lee of South Korea in the initial rounds. Talking about his journey, Saurav said, “I retired in April last year, but the desire to pursue my Olympic dream reignited my passion.”
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Saurav Ghosal on his future
Squash will be vying to make his Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. Saurav’s short-term target is to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games, and he remains optimistic about his chances: “If everything aligns, I might strive for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.” Over his illustrious career, Ghosal has won 12 medals across the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, establishing his legacy in the Indian squash scene.
