Mumbai, March 18 (NationPress) In a thrilling display of skill, India’s Om Semwal triumphed in a five-game showdown during the men’s category, while Tanvi Khanna advanced effortlessly into the second round in the women’s division on the first day of the Indian Open 2026 squash championship, which kicked off with intense drama at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) courts in Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, on Wednesday.

The opening day was packed with action, featuring several hard-fought matches. Semwal managed to defeat Sebastian Salazar with a scoreline of 3-2 (11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 10-12, 19-17), showcasing his determination and skill. In contrast, Khanna secured her victory against Maya Weishar in straight games, finishing 3-0 (15-13, 12-10, 11-4).

However, the day was not without its challenges for the host nation, as top players Suraj Kumar Chand, Unnati Tripathi, and Nirupama Dubey faced defeats in their matches.

Semwal delivered the highlight performance of the day in a gripping five-game contest against Mexico’s Salazar. The match swung back and forth, but Semwal maintained his composure in crucial moments to earn a hard-fought victory. Another notable match featured Egypt’s Yassin Shohdy, who rallied back after dropping the first set 10-12. Demonstrating resilience, he edged out a close second game 13-11 against Manuel Paquemar from France, ultimately winning the match 3-1.

In another competitive clash, Switzerland’s Ambre Allinckx triumphed over the Netherlands’ Tessa ter Sluis with a score of 3-1, while Egypt’s Ibrahim Elkabbani secured a solid 3-1 victory against India’s Suraj Kumar Chand.

The remainder of the day featured dominant performances by leading contenders. Hong Kong’s Chi Him Wong easily defeated Ayaan Vaziralli 3-0, while Sofia Mateos also claimed a convincing victory over Shameena Riaz. Matthew Lai and Danielle Ray both started their campaigns strongly with comfortable 3-0 wins in their respective matches.

As anticipation builds for Day 2, Indian stars Veer Chotrani, Joshna Chinappa, Anahat Singh, Abhay Singh, and Ramit Tandon are set to begin their campaigns, much to the excitement of the home crowd.

Results (Day 1):

Sehveetrraa Kumar defeated Unnati Tripathi 3-0 (11-8, 11-5, 11-4); Farida Walid overcame Nirupama Dubey 3-0 (11-7, 11-3, 11-4); Yassin Shohdy beat Manuel Paquemar 3-1 (10-12, 13-11, 11-5, 11-7); Matthew Lai won against Mohammad Syafiq Kamal 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-8); Tanvi Khanna defeated Maya Weishar 3-0 (15-13, 12-10, 11-4); Danielle Ray triumphed over Rathika Suthanthira Seelan 3-0 (11-8, 11-3, 11-5); Om Semwal won against Sebastian Salazar 3-2 (11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 10-12, 19-17); Ibrahim Elkabbani beat Suraj Kumar Chand 3-1 (12-14, 11-4, 11-1, 11-6); Elise Romba defeated Risa Sugimoto 3-0 (11-7, 11-2, 11-8); Sofía Mateos won against Shameena Riaz 3-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-4); Yannik Omlor triumphed over Yash Fadte 3-0 (13-11, 11-9, 12-10); Chi Him Wong defeated Ayaan Vaziralli 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-3); Ambre Allinckx overcame Tessa ter Sluis 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6); Breanne Flynn defeated Lea Barbeau 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 14-12); Ravindu Laksiri triumphed over Duncan Lee 3-1 (9-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5); Ameeshenraj Chandaran beat Naoki Hayashi 3-1 (8-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-9).