Asian Junior Squash C'ships: Dhairya Gogia stuns seeded Tse Ka Chun on Day 1
Synopsis
Unseeded Dhairya Gogia's four-game upset of Hong Kong's seeded Tse Ka Chun headlined a sweeping opening day for India at the 33rd Asian Junior Squash Championships in Panzhihua — with Indian players winning across U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 categories against opponents from China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, and Sri Lanka.
Key Takeaways
Dhairya Gogia , unseeded, defeated Hong Kong's 5/8 seed Tse Ka Chun 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 in the boys' U-13 first round.
India recorded wins across U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 categories on Day 1 of the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China .
Vedant Agarwal suffered the sole notable defeat, losing a five-game thriller to Singapore's Jackrish Kumar Sashikumar in the U-15 draw.
U-19 girls Akanksha Gupta , Vyomika Khandelwal , and Eesha Shrivastava all won in straight games against opponents from Japan, Korea, and China.
The four-day championship continues in Panzhihua with knockout rounds ahead.
Unseeded Dhairya Gogia delivered the standout result of the opening day at the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China, on Wednesday, 20 May, defeating Hong Kong's 5/8 seed Tse Ka Chun in a gripping four-game contest to spark a commanding start for India's junior contingent.
Gogia prevailed 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 in the boys' U-13 first round, recovering from dropping the second game to close out the match convincingly. The victory over a seeded opponent, achieved without a ranking of his own, immediately set the tone for what would become a dominant day for Indian squash across all age groups at the four-day event.
U-13 Results: India Sweeps Opening Matches
The momentum extended across the U-13 draws. Amarya Bajaj was ruthless against Macau's Chau Hyo Chon, winning 11-1, 11-1, 11-5, while Abhyuday Arora dispatched Sri Lanka's Danuja Jayasinghe 11-5, 11-4, 11-1. On the girls' side, Riyaa Dalal beat Sri Lanka's Dheerya Mithali Silva 11-0, 11-6, 11-7, and 5/8 seed Alia Kankaria overcame Korea's Eun Choi 11-4, 11-6, 11-5.
U-15 and U-17: Wins and One Near-Miss
In the U-15 category, Dhruv Johri cruised past Sri Lanka's Disas Subasinghe 11-3, 11-5, 11-3. Vedant Agarwal came agonisingly close in a five-game thriller against Singapore's Jackrish Kumar Sashikumar, eventually going down 10-12, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5, 11-3 — a defeat that underlined the competitive depth at this level.
The U-17 division was particularly strong for India. Hridhaan Shah, Lokesh Subramani, Shiven Agarwal, and Raghav Vashishta all recorded straight-game wins or four-game victories against opponents from China, Hong Kong, and Macau. On the girls' side, Saanvi Kalanki, Riyansika Verma, and Diva Shah kept India's record unblemished with wins over their respective opponents.
U-19 Girls Maintain Unbeaten Run
India's U-19 girls also impressed. Unnati Tripathi progressed after opponent Li Shiqi retired mid-match, while Akanksha Gupta, Vyomika Khandelwal, and Eesha Shrivastava all secured straight-game victories against players from Japan, Korea, and China respectively.
India's Depth on Display
The breadth of India's results across five age categories on a single day reflects a maturing junior pipeline in Indian squash. Notably, this is the 33rd edition of the continental championship, and India's performance on Day 1 positions the contingent as one of the stronger multi-category challengers heading into the knockout rounds. With three more days of competition remaining, the squad's consistency across both boys' and girls' draws will be closely watched.
Point of View
Indian squash depth beyond the top two or three senior names has been questioned; a contingent winning across five age groups against Chinese, Hong Kong, Korean, and Japanese opponents in a single day challenges that narrative. Gogia's upset is the headline, but the real story is the consistency: no single age group underperformed. The test will come in the knockout rounds, where seeded Asian rivals will have adapted. Whether India can convert Day 1 dominance into podium finishes will determine whether this is a genuine generational shift or a strong opening-round draw.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships?
It is a continental junior squash tournament held in Panzhihua, China, featuring players across U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 age categories from across Asia. The 2025 edition is a four-day event that began on 20 May.
Who is Dhairya Gogia and why is his win significant?
Dhairya Gogia is an unseeded Indian player in the boys' U-13 category who defeated Hong Kong's 5/8 seed Tse Ka Chun 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 on the opening day. The win is notable because Gogia carried no seeding into the match, making the four-game victory over a ranked opponent a genuine upset.
How did India perform overall on Day 1?
India recorded wins across U-13, U-15, U-17, and U-19 categories in both boys' and girls' draws, with only Vedant Agarwal suffering a defeat — a five-game loss to Singapore's Jackrish Kumar Sashikumar in the U-15 boys' draw.
Which Indian players won in the U-19 girls' category?
Akanksha Gupta, Vyomika Khandelwal, and Eesha Shrivastava all won in straight games against opponents from Japan, Korea, and China respectively. Unnati Tripathi also advanced after her opponent Li Shiqi retired mid-match.
What happens next at the championship?
The four-day tournament continues in Panzhihua with subsequent rounds leading to the finals. India's performance across multiple age groups on Day 1 sets up potential deep runs in the knockout stages.
