The semi-finals of the Birmingham 2022 mixed doubles competition get underway today at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre, alongside the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles event.
Play begins from 12:00 (GMT+1) and will be will be shown live by broadcasters around the world.
Top seeds and reigning World Champions India take part in the first mixed doubles semi-final at 14:15. The Indian pair, Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal, are sister and brother in-law and will be hoping they can reach a second successive final after winning the silver medal at the Gold Coast Games.
To do so, they will have to overcome fancied 3/4 seeds Joelle King and Paul Coll of New Zealand. Regarded as some of the finest singles players in the World, with Coll ranked World No.2 and winning the Commonwealth Games singles gold just days ago, the Kiwi pair have shown excellent chemistry on the doubles court in 2-0 wins over 9/16 seeds Faiza Zafar and Nasir Iqbal and 5/8 seeds Georgia Adderley and Rory Stewart.
Should King be victorious today and in her women’s doubles semi-final tomorrow, she will be guaranteed to overtake Rachael Grinham as the woman with the most doubles squash medals.
The second semi-final is an intriguing clash between England’s No.2 seeds Alison Waters and Adrian Waller and the defending champions and cousins Donna Lobban and Cameron Pilley, who yesterday overcame Lobban’s husband Greg Lobban and Lisa Aitken of Scotland.
Australia are the undisputed heavyweights of the mixed doubles and have won the event at every Commonwealth Games bar Manchester 2002. Will this storied history give the Australians confidence, or add to the pressure of the occasion?
In the men’s draw, there are four matches taking place. Top seeds and reigning World Champions Declan James and James Willstrop are involved in the first match of the day at 12:00, they face Australia’s 5/8 seeds Rhys Dowling and Cameron Pilley.
Both England and Australia have a second team competing in the quarter-finals, with 3/4 seeds Daryl Selby and Adrian Waller facing Canadian 9/16 seeds David Baillargeon and Nick Sachvie, and 5/8 seeds Zac Alexander and Ryan Cuskelly up against the No.2 seeds, Greg Lobban and Rory Stewart of Scotland.
Completing the draw, India’s 9/16 seeds Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh – who came back from the brink last night against Scottish 3/4 seeds Alan Clyne and Douglas Kempsell, face 5/8 seeds Eain Yow Ng & Ivan Yuen of Malaysia.
The winners of the India v Malaysia clash will make history for their nations, with the quarter-finals as far as either country has made it in the men’s doubles.
Click here for the full schedule and live results as they happen.
Stats kindly provided by Squash Info.
Birmingham 2022 Mixed Doubles Semi-Final Draw:
14:15 – [1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik & Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [3/4] Joelle King & Paul Coll (NZL)
18:00 – [2] Alison Waters & Adrian Waller (ENG) v [5/8] Donna Lobban & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Birmingham 2022 Men’s Doubles Quarter-Final Draw:
12:00 – [1] Declan James & James Willstrop (ENG) v [5/8] Rhys Dowling & Cameron Pilley (AUS)
12:45 – [9/16] Velavan Senthilkumar & Abhay Singh (IND) v [5/8] Eain Yow Ng & Ivan Yuen (MAS)
19:30 – [2] Greg Lobban & Rory Stewart (SCO) v [5/8] Zac Alexander & Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
20:15 – [3/4] Daryl Selby & Adrian Waller (ENG) v [9/16] David Baillargeon & Nick Sachvie (CAN)