Malhotra shocks top seed to enter quarters in Hong Kong

In the women’s singles, India’s leading players, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, made the quarterfinals after winning their first round matches comfortably.

Vikram Malhotra overpowered a higher ranked player to enter the quarterfinals.

Indian qualifier Vikram Malhotra stunned World No. 20 Zahed Mohamed of Egypt to reach the quarterfinals of the USD 25,000 HKFC International squash event here today.

In the women’s singles, India’s leading players, Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, made the quarterfinals after winning their first round matches comfortably.

Chinappa beat local qualifier Li Sum Yin 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 while Pallikal blanked Tang Yan Yi, another qualifier from Hong Kong, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9.

The biggest upset of the day was caused by 62nd-ranked Malhotra, who downed Mohamed 13-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8 in a men’s singles match lasting 46 minutes.

Malhotra’s countryman, Mahesh Mangaonkar, fought hard in his opening round match before going down to third seed, Omar Mossad of Egypt, 3-11, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11.