Southern Slam squash: Arihant KS stuns top seed Aryan Pratap Singh in quarterfinals
Synopsis
Arihant KS erased top seed Aryan Pratap Singh in straight games — 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 — to become the biggest story of the Southern Slam squash quarterfinals in Chennai. With nearly 400 players across 12 categories and international entries from Singapore, Malaysia, and beyond, the tournament's semifinal stage is set for a compelling finish before Saturday's conclusion.
Key Takeaways
Arihant KS stunned men's top seed Aryan Pratap Singh 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Slam squash on 20 August .
Eesha Shrivastava came from a game down to beat 3/4 seed Shameena Riaz 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 and also reached the U-19 girls' semifinals .
Vedant Patel staged a 2-0 deficit comeback to beat Lokesh Subramani in five games on Wednesday.
Top seeds Nirupama Dubey and Pooja Arthi R. both progressed comfortably in the women's draw.
Nearly 400 players are competing across 12 categories ; the tournament runs until Saturday at the Indian Squash Academy, Chennai .
Arihant KS delivered one of the standout results of the Southern Slam squash tournament on Thursday, 20 August, dismantling top seed Aryan Pratap Singh 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 in the men's quarterfinals at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. The dominant straight-game victory eliminates the tournament favourite and reshapes the men's draw heading into the semifinals.
Women's Quarterfinals: Eesha Shrivastava Fights Back
In the women's quarterfinals, Eesha Shrivastava showed considerable resilience, rallying past 3/4 seed Shameena Riaz 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 after dropping the opening game. Eesha's run extends across two categories — she also advanced to the U-19 girls' semifinals, making her one of the busiest players at the event.
Wednesday's Pre-Quarterfinal Highlights
The action on Wednesday produced its own share of drama. Vedant Patel, seeded 3/4, recovered from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Lokesh Subramani 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 in the men's pre-quarterfinals — a five-game comeback that underlined his mental fortitude.
On the women's side, top seed Nirupama Dubey was clinical against Akanksha Gupta, winning 11-8, 11-5, 11-8, while second seed Pooja Arthi R. eased past Sahana Kalaivanan 11-4, 11-4, 11-6.
Scale of the Tournament
The Southern Slam is one of the premier domestic squash events on the calendar, drawing close to 400 players across 12 categories. International entries from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka add a regional flavour to what is primarily an Indian field. The tournament runs until Saturday at the Indian Squash Academy, Chennai.
Full Quarterfinal Results
Men: Arihant KS bt 1-Aryan Pratap Singh 11-5, 11-2, 11-5; Gurveer Singh bt Purav Rambhia 11-8, 11-3, 11-5; Vedant Patel bt Kunal Singh 13-11, 12-10, 11-9; 2-Rahul Baitha bt Hridhaan Shah 11-3, 11-6, 11-2.
Women: 1-Nirupama Dubey bt Vyomika Khandelwal 11-6, 11-4, 11-1; Rathika Seelan bt Reiva Nimbalkar 11-8, 11-7, 11-7; 2-Pooja Arthi R. bt Aarika Mishra 11-5, 11-6, 11-7; Eesha Shrivastava bt Shameena Riaz 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.
Boys U-19: 1-Purav Rambhia bt Meyappan P 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; Raghav Vashishtha bt Rahul Sanjay Balakrishnan 5-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9; Shravin Jain bt Arjun Morey 11-6, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7; Yuvaditya Jain bt Ijaz Mohammed 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-2.
Boys U-17: 1-Shreyansh Jha bt Aryaman Singh 11-9, 11-5, 11-8; Saharsh Shahra bt Dharshan K 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6; Hridhaan Shah bt Harshal Rana 11-3, 11-7, 11-5; 2-Lokesh Subramani bt Manuth Dassanayake (SRI LANKA) 8-11, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8.
Boys U-15: 1-Jackrish Sashikumar (SGP) bt Soham Sarda 11-1, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7; Dhruv Johri bt Ayaan Dhanuka 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6; Ruan Ram Tadanki bt Akshat Singhal 6-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9; 2-Fareed Andrabi bt Vivek Shinde 11-8, 11-6, 11-6.
Boys U-13: 1-Kaelen Evan Low (SGP) bt Aryan SK 11-4, 11-4, 11-4; Zeyn Ali bt Haribala K 11-7, 11-5, 11-5; Vihaan Chandhok bt Varun Partiban (MAS) 11-5, 11-1, 11-9; 2-Ridaan Gupta bt Lakhvanth AP 11-9, 12-14, 11-8, 14-12.
Boys U-11: 1-Yuchen Mason Han (SGP) bt Joshua Lek (SGP) 11-1, 11-7, 11-8; Viraaj Wadhwani bt Rudransh Prabhakar 11-9, 12-10, 14-12; Vedant Shinde bt Yuvaan Verma 11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9; 2-Agastya Uppal bt Viraj Shinde 11-9, 11-8, 12-10.
Girls U-19: 1-Akanksha Gupta bt Diva Shah 12-10, 15-13, 2-11, 11-8; Devashree Arora bt Taliah Cheong (SGP) 11-7, 11-7, 11-3; Vyomika Khandelwal bt Sahana Kalaivanan 11-9, 11-5, 12-10; 2-Eesha Shrivastava bt Kriya Saravanan 11-6, 11-4, 11-5.
Girls U-17: Aarika Mishra bt 1-Vasundhara Nangare 12-10, 11-8, 11-9; Riyansika Verma bt Shiuli Nataraj (SGP) 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-4; Kaashvi Mangal bt Anya Sood 11-8, 11-9, 11-5; Yushan Jacintha Han (SGP) bt 2-Ravinaasri Nanthakumar (MAS) 11-5, 11-8, 11-3.
Girls U-15: 1-Kelihla Cheong (SGP) bt Rachel Markose (SGP) 11-1, 11-7, 11-6; Diva Parasrampuria bt Sanaita Singh 11-3, 11-3, 11-2; Divyanshi Jain bt Devki Anand 11-1, 11-0, 11-3; 2-Goushika M bt Shanaya Parasrampuria 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-1.
Girls U-13: 1-Keerti Bala (MAS) bt Sanavi Tidke 11-4, 11-7, 11-5; Aadhya Grover bt Yu Xi Kai (HK) 11-4, 11-9, 11-9; Akshara Makhija bt Dhriti Ganji 11-4, 11-7, 11-6; 2-Riyaa Dalal bt Sameeksha Sugumar 11-5, 11-3, 11-7.
Girls U-11: 1-Meera Ruthiran (MAS) bt Anam Yadav 11-8, 11-5, 11-1; Inaya Andrabi bt Barisha Begam 6-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9; Anshika Kumari bt Amirtha Kundave 11-7, 11-5, 11-6; 2-Gaurvi Ajmera bt Navya Khatri 11-3, 11-1, 11-2.
With the semifinals set across all categories, the tournament concludes on Saturday at the Indian Squash Academy.
Point of View
Where lower-seeded players are increasingly capable of dismantling established names. The Southern Slam's scale, nearly 400 players across 12 age categories with international participation from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka, reflects the sport's quiet growth beyond its traditional strongholds. What mainstream coverage tends to underplay is how tournaments like this function as a pipeline: today's U-11 and U-13 winners are the national prospects of the next decade. The results across junior categories deserve as much attention as the headline upset.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the men's quarterfinal upset at the Southern Slam squash 2025?
Arihant KS beat top seed Aryan Pratap Singh 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 in straight games in the men's quarterfinals of the Southern Slam squash on 20 August at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. It was the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
Where and when is the Southern Slam squash tournament being held?
The Southern Slam squash tournament is being held at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai and runs until Saturday, 23 August 2025. Nearly 400 players are competing across 12 categories.
How did Eesha Shrivastava perform in the women's quarterfinals?
Eesha Shrivastava rallied from dropping the first game to beat 3/4 seed Shameena Riaz 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8. She also advanced to the U-19 girls' semifinals, competing in two categories at the tournament.
Which top seeds progressed in the women's draw?
Top seed Nirupama Dubey defeated Vyomika Khandelwal 11-6, 11-4, 11-1, and second seed Pooja Arthi R. beat Aarika Mishra 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 to advance to the women's semifinals.
Are there international players competing at the Southern Slam squash?
Yes, the Southern Slam has drawn entries from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka, alongside the predominantly Indian field. Players from these countries are competing across several junior categories.
