Dipika Pallikal is a feisty young lady who never minces words. After crying foul over the draw that pitted her against Joshana Chinappa, India's best woman squash player ever, she even threatened to pull out of the Asian Games. But thankfully, she relented.


Dipika Pallikal (left) reacts after winning a point against compatriot Joshana Chinappa during the singles quarter-final yesterday. Pic/AFP 

Yesterday, Pallikal celebrated her 23rd birthday in style by beating Joshana Chinappa, her partner in the historic gold medal winning Commonwealth Games only last month, in five scintillating games. Yes, Pallikal, now World No 12, is on her way to writing a few pages of her own in Indian squash history.