Tandon shocks seeded Richards to enter last eight

(Eds: After updating Saurav Ghosal result)

Mumbai, Jan 8 (PTI) Six-time former junior national champion Ramit Tandon upset eighth seed Tom Richards of England with surprising ease to enter the quarter finals of the USD 70,000 CCI International JSW Indian Squash Circuit here on Wednesday.

Tandon, ranked 68 in the world, who upset 9/16 seed Joshua Masters, also of England, in the first round on Tuesday, took just 29 minutes to pack off Richards, globally ranked 20 on the professional circuit, 11-7, 11-1, 11-2 to enter the last eight.

Tandon will meet his Indian compatriot and world number 12 Saurav Ghosal Thursday for a place in the semi-finals.

Ghosal, the third seed, defeated Mohammed Reda of Egypt 11-1, 7-11, 11-3 11-6 in another quarter final encounter.

"I enjoyed the match.

"Last year also I did well in this event, so I think it's something about Mumbai. I like coming here, I have lot of friends here. So I am happy that I could perform well and I am looking forward to the quarter finals," said the Kolkata-born player who had made the quarters in the previous edition of this event too.

"I focus only on my game and hopefully I will be able to perform well and play my best tomorrow," added the 26-year-old finance professional-turned squash pro who was a member of the country's Commonwealth Games squad last year in Gold Coast, Australia.

In two other second round matches, Iker Pajares Bernabeu of Spain shocked seventh seed Nicolas Mueller of Switzerland 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 after a 66-minute battle while Egypts number four seed Fares Dessouky ousted Englishman Ben Coleman 11-7, 11 -5, 11-6 in 34 minutes