New Delhi, March 8 -- When Saurav Ghosal was wrestling with the idea of coming out of retirement, he bounced it off two people on whose expertise he has come to rely: former coach David Palmer and friend, rival and guide James Willstrop. Their response was swift and upbeat: "Let's do this!" "I told them, this can't be such a short conversation," Ghosal says. "I'm very grateful to my team. Especially coming from people of that stature who have done so much in their own careers. It's almost like they believe in my ability more than I do."

And with good reason. Ghosal, who had retired from the tour in April 2024, announced his return by winning the first tournament back. He defeated world No.142 Abdelrahman Nassar of Egypt 11-2, 11-6, 11-2 ...