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Time of India
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
HCL India Squash Tour: 8 Indian women players reach Round of 16; Ayaan, Aryaveer, Om, Sandesh advance to men's pre-quarters
Jaipur: On the opening day of the HCL India Tour Squash tournament held at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium Courts here on Monday, Indian players Ayaan Wazirali, Aryaveer Diwan, Om Semwal, and Sandesh PR registered victories and entered the pre-quarterfinals of the men's category. In the women's section, Indian players also made a strong showing, with eight of them securing wins in the first round to advance to the round of 16. Ayaan Wazirali of India defeated compatriot Mohit Bhatt 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 6-2 (retired) in the first-round match. In other men's outings, Aryaveer Diwan beat Egypt's Youssef El Sherif 12-21, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, and Sandesh Ravi Kumar trounced Malaysia's Tai Jun Kuan 11-6, 11-6, 13-11. Om Semwal advanced with a walkover win against Egypt's Marwan Tamir. However, India's Rahul Baitha lost to Egypt's Saif Refai with a scoreline of 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 1-6 (retired). In the women's draw, eight Indian players won their first-round matches to book spots in the round of 16. Mehak Talati progressed to the pre-quarters after Saanvi Batra retired at 6-1 in the first set. In other encounters, Sunita Patel thumped Rajasthan's Chhavi Saran 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-4; Pooja Aarti Raghu ousted Aradhana Kasturi Raj 11-2, 11-5, 11-3; Isha Srivastava overcame Korea's Yoojin Shin 11-6, 11-4, 11-4; Rathika S Seelan won against Sanya Vats 7-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-3, 16-14; Anika Dubey dismissed Tanishka Jain 11-9, 7-11, 11-8, 10-12, 16-14; while Unnati Tripathi triumphed over Egypt's Mona Tamer 11-8, 11-5, 1-11, 11-5. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You will never turn off your computer again. Undo Surabhi Mishra, vice president of the Squash Rackets Federation of India said, "The top 8 ranked players in both the men's and women's 32-player draw received a first-round bye and direct entry into the pre-quarterfinals". The Round of 16 ties will be held on Tuesday.
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
HCL India Squash Tour 2025: Top seedings for Egypt's Yassine Shohadi, Noor Khafagi; Joshna, Nirupama withdraw; Rajasthan's Chhabi Saran in main draw
1 2 Jaipur: Egypt's Yassine Shohadi and Nour Khafagi have been given top seeding in the men's and women's categories, respectively in the first leg of the HCL India Squash Tour 2025 starting at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here on Monday under the joint aegis of the Squash Rackets Federation of India and HCL. Star Indian squash players Joshna Chinappa and Nirupama Dubey withdrew just a day before the start of the tournament, allowing Rajasthan's Chhabi Saran to enter the main draw. Squash Rackets Federation of India vice-president Surabhi Mishra said here on Sunday that Egypt's Yassine Shohadi has been given the top seed in the matches starting from Monday. Japan's Tomo Endo has got the second seed, Sri Lanka's Ravindu Laksiri has got the third seed and Malaysia's Darin Pragasus has got the fourth seed. Surabhi Mishra informed that Suraj Kumar Chand is the only Indian in the top 8 in the men's category, who has been given the sixth seed. India's Rahul Baitha, Aryaveer Diwan, Ayan Wazir Ali and Diwakar Singh will also challenge. Surabhi said that in the women's category too, Egypt's Noor Khafagi is the top seed. Egypt's Menna Waleed is second, Japan's Akari Midorikawa is third, while Malaysia's Go Zhi Xuan is the fourth seed. She said that among the top-8 Indian players, Tanvi Khanna has been seeded fifth, Anjali Semwal sixth, Shamina Riyaz seventh and Zenit Vidhi eighth. India has a total of 17 players in the women's main draw, including Sanvi Batra, Pooja Aarti, Aradhana Kasturi Raj, Anika Dubey, Tanishka Jain, Aradhana Paudwal, Sanya Bats and Unnati Tripathi. Surabhi Mishra said that squash has also been included in the Los Angeles Olympics to be held in 2028. Keeping this in mind, the Federation and HCL India have started the India Squash Tour. After Jaipur, the upcoming stages of the India Tour will be played in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi. This will provide international competition to Indian players and help them prepare for the Olympic Games. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Jaipur leg of HCL India Squash Tour to be held from August 4-8 with more than 50 players from ten countries to compete for PSA ranking points
Jaipur: The first leg of the HCL India Squash Tour, launched by the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) will get underway at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium Squash Courts here on Sunday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The other stages of the HCL Challenger Tour will be held in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi. The tournament will have a prize money of nine thousand US dollars each in the men's and women's categories. According to SRFI vice-president and former international player Surabhi Mishra, more than 50 players from 10 countries will participate in the Jaipur leg to be held from August 4 to 8. The Jaipur leg will be a PSA Challenger 9K event, with equal prize money for men and women. The tour aims to boost India's squash talent pool ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. There will be a knockout draw of 24 players each in both men's and women's categories, in which the top 8 players will get direct entry into the second round. Egyptian players reach Jaipur Surabhi Mishra informed that apart from India, players from Egypt, Japan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada, China, Kuwait and South Korea will participate in this international tournament organized in collaboration with the Sports Ministry of the Government of India and the Sports Authority of India. Egyptian players have arrived here. The visiting players practiced at the Squash Academy courts on Saturday. Joshna and Tanvi will be the star attractions In the women's category of the tournament, Asian Games medalists Joshna Chinnappa and Tanvi Khanna of India will also participate. Joshna is ranked 108 in the world and Tanvi is ranked 126. Apart from this, top players like world number 94 Nour Khafagy (Egypt), world number 99 Menna Walid (Egypt), 105th ranked Akari Midorikawa (Japan), 114th ranked Goh Zi Xuan (Malaysia) will be the centre of attraction. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Suraj will lead the Indian challenge in the men's category Suraj Kumar Chand, ranked 153 in the world, will lead the Indian challenge in the men's category. Aryaveer Diwan, bronze medalist of the recent World Junior Championship in Egypt, has been given a wild card entry. Other top players in the tournament include Egypt's Yassine Shohady (ranked 105), Japan's Tomon Endo (110), Sri Lanka's Ravindu Laksiri (113), Malaysia's Darren Pragasus (115) and Egypt's Mohamed Gohar (150). The event will be of high quality HCL Brand Head Rajat Chandolia said that we have upgraded the tour to high class events so that Indian players can compete in international matches while staying in the country and be strong in the race for PCA points. Keeping the 2028 Olympics in mind, our aim is to create a solid talent pipeline. SRFI Secretary General Cyrus Poncha said that the partnership with HCL since 2016 has taken Indian squash to new heights. The increased prize money and expansion now give players more opportunities to compete.
Hindustan Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Squash Tour 2025-26 expanded to six cities as a boost to India's ambitions for 2028 Olympics
In a boost to India's squash ambitions, especially with the sport's debut at the LA 2028 Olympics, the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) on Thursday launched the Squash Tour 2025-26. All tournaments will award equal prize money to men and women (Generic photo).(REUTERS) The tour was launched in partnership with HCL, which, since 2016, has supported Indian squash across all levels, introducing structured training programs, coaching and referee development, and grassroots initiatives. Now expanded to six cities, this Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger Tour series brings international-calibre competition to Indian soil, offering critical PSA ranking points, enhanced prize purses, and a stronger pathway for homegrown athletes to excel globally. Following the resounding success of the inaugural edition, which saw Indian players improve their PSA rankings significantly, the revamped 2025-26 season includes Jaipur, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Delhi on its circuit, with the latter two cities newly added to the lineup. -Record Prize Pool and Enhanced Format -One PSA Challenger 15K event (Chennai) -Two PSA Challenger 9K events (Jaipur, Mumbai) -Three PSA Challenger 6K events (Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad) Importantly, all tournaments will award equal prize money to men and women, with champions taking home US dollars 15,000, 9,000, or 6,000, depending on the event tier. Each leg will follow a 24-player knockout format, with the top 8 seeds receiving byes into the second round. The Tour is open to PSA-registered players aged 15 and above. As a part of this calendar, the National Squash Championship 2025 will be held in New Delhi from August 23 to 28 With support from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India, the Tour was focused on bringing in new players in the PSA circuit 3,000 US dollar purses. Rajat Chandolia, Associate Vice President and Head of Brand, HCL Group, said as quoted in press release, "With squash set to debut at the 2028 Olympics, we are focused on creating a structured pipeline that helps Indian players thrive on the world stage. Our continued partnership with SRFI is aimed at strengthening every aspect of the sport's ecosystem in India." Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), said, "We are immensely grateful to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Sports Authority of India, and our partner HCL, whose support since 2016 has been instrumental in nurturing Indian squash talent. The increased prize money and expanded tournament opportunities this year will further accelerate development, enabling more players to gain exposure, earn PSA points, and prepare for prestigious international events, including the Olympics." The announcement comes amid an extraordinary phase for Indian squash. In July 2025, Anahat Singh, who began her PSA journey in January 2024 when her ranking was 129, and then rose from there to World No. 54 and clinched a historic bronze at the World Junior Squash Championships. Other standout performances include: -Abhay Singh rising from the 200s to a career-best World No. 35 -Ramit Tandon (No. 28), Velavan Senthil Kumar (No. 39), Veer Chotrani (No. 62), and Tanvi Khanna (No. 69) are all climbing the global rankings The impact of this partnership is also reflected in India's broader medal tally, which has grown from 11 to 18 medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games during this period. Most recently, India celebrated a hat-trick of gold medals at the 2025 Asian Doubles Squash Championships. Beyond squash, Squash India Tour 2025-26 Schedule: -Jaipur - August 4-8 (Sawai Man Singh Stadium) -Mumbai - September 8-12 -Bengaluru - September 26-31 -Chennai - December 1-5 -Ahmedabad - January 27-31, 2026 -Delhi - February 3-7, 2026
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Anahat, Abhay to highlight strong field for squash Nationals
New Delhi: Top tier Indian squash players, including junior World Championships bronze medallist Anahat Singh (world No.54) and Asian Championships doubles bronze medallist Abhay Singh (world No.35) will highlight the senior national championships that will be held in the capital's Major Dhyanchand Stadium from August 23 to 28. The qualifiers will be played on the first two days. File image of Anahat Singh. (JSW) 'National championships are coming to Delhi after a while. All top players have confirmed their participation,' Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) secretary general Cyrus Poncha said on Thursday. India's highest ranked professional Ramit Tandon (world No.32), Velavan Senthilkumar (world No.44), Veer Chotrani (world No. 56) will be major attractions in the men's field while Anahat, the India No.1, will head the women's draw. Multiple-time national champion Joshna Chinappa, national runner-up Akanksha Salunkhe and double Asian Games medallist (team) Tanvi Khanna have also confirmed participation. SRFI also announced a revamped India Squash Tour in partnership with HCL with a view to groom grassroots talent. While Tandon, Chotrani and Abhay will skip the Challenger level event, Anahat, who is transitioning to the senior circuit, is likely to play in at least one event. The Tour was held in Kolkata, Indore and Chennai last year with all events being $3,000 affairs. This year, it will move to five new cities – Jaipur, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Delhi – while retaining Chennai in its six-city roster. There will be three $6,000, two $9,000 and one $15,000 events each for men and women in this year's calendar. Kicking off in Jaipur on August 4, the Tour will end in Delhi next February. 'Among the key objectives of the expansion is to give Indian players an opportunity to earn world ranking points,' Poncha said. Each leg will be a 24-player knock-out event with the top eight seeds receiving a bye into the second round. The $15k event will offer 1,343 ranking points with the winner getting 250 points. The $9k events will carry 806 points (150 for the winner) and the $6k events 537 points (100 for the winner). 'At least two Indian players will get wild card. For the $9k events, we are expecting players from the top 60-70 bracket while the $15k event in Chennai will have some top-30 players. It will be an excellent opportunity for Indian players to learn,' Poncha said.
