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Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
World Squash Championships: Indian challenge ends in second round
India's campaign ended in the ongoing PSA World Squash Championships on Sunday as all four Indian players lost their respective matches in the second round of the tournament. In the women's section, India's lone representative Anahat Singh lost 1-3 to Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt. After losing the first game 7-11, Anahat came back strongly and won the second game 11-8 and leveled the tie 1-1. However, Fayrouz was unstoppable in the last two games winning 4-11 and 3-11 cutting short Anahat's debut at the World Championships. Earlier in the first round, Anahat defeated Marina Stefanoni of USA in a thrilling encounter. After losing the first game 10-12, she came back to win the second game 11-9, lost the third game 6-11, and then clinched the final two games 11-6, 11-6, securing a 3-2 victory. World number 63 Anahat booked her berth for the championship last month at the Asian Qualifying tournament becoming only the second player to qualify for women's singles after Joshna Chinappa in the past six years. Result: Women's RD2 🇪🇬 @fayrouzaboelkh1 beats Anahat Singh 🇮🇳 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3 (28m)#PSAWorldChamps — PSA World Championships (@PSAWorldChamps) May 11, 2025 The 17-year-old Anahat, ranked 62nd in the world, had earlier beaten world No. 28 American Marina Stefanoni in the opening round. It was a disappointing day in men's singles as all three Indian players crashed out. Abhay Singh was no match to world number 13 Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt, losing 0-3 (6-11,6-11,9-11) while Chotrani showed some fight against top seed Ali Farag of Egypt. Chotrani stunned Farag in the first game winning it 11-7 but the experienced Egyptian have Chotrani no chance winning the next three game 7-11, 3-11, 10-12. Experienced player Ramit Tandon went down fighting to eighth seed Marwan Elshorbagy of England. After losing the first two games 9-11 and 7-11, Tandon came back strongly to win the next two games 11-5 and 11-8. However in the deciding set, he lost 8-11 to end his campaign in the tournament. With the end of the campaign, India's wait for a medal at the Squash World Championships continue.
Hans India
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Squash World C'ship: Veer, Anahat register massive wins to move to second round
Chicago: India's Veer Chotrani is through to the second round of the Squash World Championships for the first time after causing an upset against former World No.15 Declan James. Chotrani, who booked his place at the tournament by winning the Asia qualifying event, won 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 16-14) to progress to the second round at his first appearance at the World Championships. The World No.57 was almost forced into a fifth game with the Englishman when he had four match balls but was unable to convert. However, Chotrani succeeded on the fifth attempt to seal the victory. 'Relief, I'd say! Last week I played (Mohamad) Zakaria in Bermuda and I had four match balls and I bottled it and I lost,' he said. 'That match was actually in my head when I was up match ball and I thought I cannot give it away this time, but I fought hard and stayed extremely focused and I was able to get the win in the end. 'Last week I didn't have the belief that I could beat top 20/25 guys, and today I went into the match with nothing to lose and I told myself that, play without any pressure and enjoy it. 'Those match points were so hard and he showed why he's been a top 15 player. I'm over the moon to get through," Chotrani added. Four-time world champion Ali Farag awaits Chotrani in round two. Fellow Asian qualifying event winner and Chotrani's compatriot Anahat Singh, also featuring at this event for the first time, ended home hopes for Marina Stefanoni in a five-game thriller. 'We had really long rallies and she's a great player. I've seen her play in the last few tournaments, she's been playing really well and she's broken into the top 30 so I knew today it was going to be a battle. 'It was really tiring and I'm exhausted and I'm really happy I was able to get through it. 'It's a bit surreal – I've seen this tournament since I've been playing squash on TV and watching matches, but getting to be here and see all the top players and see how they are during the biggest tournament of the year it's an experience not many people get to have and I'm really grateful I have," she said. The World No.62 Anahat came from 2-1 down to defeat USA's Stefanoni 3-2 (10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6) in 52 minutes.
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Squash Worlds: Two Indians make a fine debut, four advance
Mumbai: Two Indian freshers at the PSA World Championships entered one of squash's most prestigious tournaments eager to soak in the experience. Both walked away from their first outing knocking out two world No.28s. Anahat Singh, ranked 62, and Veer Chotrani, ranked 57, had debuts to cherish as they upset American Marina Stefanoni and Englishman Declan James, respectively, to advance to the second round. Two more Indians joined them from the five in Chicago, with world No.38 Abhay Singh overcoming world No.25 Nicolas Mueller of Switzerland and India's top-ranked Ramit Tandon getting past Japanese Ryunosuke Tsukue. Velavan Senthilkumar, another debutant, also had a bright start against defending champion and world No.3 Diego Elias before losing in four games (11-7, 7-11, 5-11, 3-11). Chotrani was nearly stretched to a deciding fifth game, with former world No.15 and 2022 Commonwealth Games doubles gold medallist James saving four match points. At the fifth time of asking, the Indian came through 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 16-14. Mumbai's Chotrani, whose father Manish is a former national squash champion, graduated from Cornell University. The 23-year-old has had a steady rise in the world rankings from being outside the top 100 last year. Like Anahat, Chotrani earned a spot at the Worlds by winning the Asian qualifying event last month. Catching up during training in New York before flying to Chicago, experienced compatriot Tandon told the male Indian debutants to turn up with a free mind for their first Worlds gig. For Chotrani that played a big role, as did the belief. 'Last week I didn't have that belief that I could win against the top 20-25 guys. Today I just went into the match telling myself that I have nothing to lose, (to) play freely without any pressure and enjoy it,' Chotrani told PSA after the win. Anahat, 17, was two games to one down against the 22-year-old American, who is higher ranked and also more experienced. The Indian teen though kept her composure and turned things around for the 3-2 (10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6) victory. This is the first real taste of the highest level of professional squash for Anahat, who's had a bright junior career and a dominant run at the lower rung PSA events. The youngster, hardly surprisingly, was 'exhausted' after the tussle that lasted nearly an hour. 'We had really long rallies and she's a great player. I've seen her play in the last few tournaments. She's been playing really well and she's broken into the top 30, so I knew it was going to be a battle,' Anahat told PSA. 'I'm really happy I was able to get through it.' Also getting through for his first win at the Worlds was Abhay, who brushed off a second-game blip against the 22nd seed Mueller to win 3-1 (11-7, 2-11, 11-7, 11-6). The 26-year-old, who has broken into the top 50 this year and sits at a career-high world No.38, had lost in the opening round of the 2023 Worlds and sat out injured last year. India No.1 and world No.34 Tandon overcame a slow start against the tricky Tsukue, ranked 50, in his 3-1 (10-12, 11-7, 13-11, 11-7) opening win. The road will get much steeper for the Indians after the fine start. Tandon faces world No.7 Marwan Elshorbagy in the Round of 32, while Abhay will take on 13th-ranked Egyptian Youssef Ibrahim. Anahat plays fellow teen Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt, ranked 15th. Chotrani will front up with four-time champion and top seeded Egyptian Ali Farag. 'It doesn't get bigger,' Chotrani said.
