India's top-ranked squash player Dipika Pallikal beat MariaToor Pakay of Pakistan and cleared the first hurdle in qualifying for the maindraw at the WSA Carol Weymuller Open Gold 50 event here.
World No.15 Dipika Tuesday defeated her 52nd-ranked opponentin straight sets 11-8, 11-5, 11-3. She takes on local hope Latasha KhanWednesday for a place in the main draw of the $50,000 tournament. Latasha edgedout Egypt's Kanzy El Dafrawy 8-11, 11-8, 14-12, 7-11, 11-8 in anotherqualifying match.
"I played Maria all my junior days and we always hadclose matches. Today, I tried twisting her and putting in cross courts andkeeping her off her feet. It worked and she making errors at crucial pointsalso helped," Dipika, 21, was quoted as saying by Squashsite.
The competition field includes world's top five players,including number one Nicol David of Malaysia.