Sanya Vats exits HCL Chennai PSA Challenger semis, loses to top seed Othman
Synopsis
Sanya Vats was the last Indian standing at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai — and top seed Rouqaia Othman made short work of her, winning 11-4, 11-2, 11-5. India's wider campaign at the event saw multiple quarterfinalists but no finalist, underlining the persistent gap with Egypt's elite squash circuit.
Key Takeaways
Sanya Vats (fourth seed) lost to top seed Rouqaia Othman (Egypt) 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 in the women's semifinals on 14 July .
Vats was the only Indian to reach the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai .
She had beaten eighth seed Unnati Tripathi in four games in the quarterfinals to advance.
Second seed Suraj Chand won his pre-quarterfinal but exited in the next round on the men's side.
In the other women's semifinal, sixth seed Hwayeong Eum (South Korea) beat Hana Aladdin (Egypt) 11-9, 9-11, 2-11, 11-4, 11-6 .
Men's semis saw Joachim Chuah and Adham Roshdy advance to the final.
Sanya Vats, the fourth seed and lone Indian survivor in the women's draw, was eliminated from the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai on Tuesday, 14 July, falling to top seed Rouqaia Othman of Egypt 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 in straight games.
Sanya's Run to the Semis
Vats had earned her semifinal berth by defeating eighth seed compatriot Unnati Tripathi in four games in the women's quarterfinals — making her the only Indian player to advance past the last-eight stage in the women's draw. The loss to Othman, however, was decisive, with the Egyptian conceding just 11 points across three games.
Indian Campaign in the Men's Draw
On the men's side, second seed Suraj Chand staged a notable comeback in the pre-quarterfinals, defeating Kuwait's Ammar Altamimi 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6, but was unable to progress further. Men's seventh seed Om Semwal also advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing out. Other Indians — women's third seed Rathika Seelan, eighth seed Unnati Tripathi, and Pooja Arthi Raghu — reached the quarterfinals but could not advance beyond that stage. Ananya Narayanan beat Janet Vidhi in four games in the first round but also failed to progress past the quarterfinals.
Semifinal Results
In the men's semifinals, first seed Joachim Chuah (Malaysia) defeated third seed Md Syafiq Kamal (Malaysia) 8-11, 10-12, 11-5, 12-10, 12-10 in a five-game thriller, while Adham Roshdy (Egypt) overcame fourth seed Salah Eltorgman (Canada) 12-10, 11-5, 11-7. In the women's draw, sixth seed Hwayeong Eum (South Korea) beat Hana Aladdin (Egypt) 11-9, 9-11, 2-11, 11-4, 11-6 to set up the other final berth.
Context: Indian Squash's Recent Form
This comes shortly after Tanvi Khanna delivered a standout performance at the HCL-SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament in Mumbai, overcoming a two-game deficit to defeat Egypt's Farida Walid 8-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 in the women's final at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club. That victory also avenged Khanna's 2-3 loss to Walid in January this year. The men's title at that event was claimed by M. Syafiq Kamal, who beat Yassin Shohdy (Egypt) 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-8. Indian squash's mixed results across both tournaments reflect a growing competitive depth, even as the gap with top-ranked Egyptian players remains significant at the PSA Challenger level.
Point of View
But the scoreline — 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 — reveals how steep the climb remains against Egypt's top-ranked players. Indian squash has produced consistent quarterfinalists at PSA Challenger events, but converting that depth into podium finishes against Egyptian opposition is a different challenge entirely. The back-to-back PSA Challenger campaigns in Mumbai and Chennai do suggest a deliberate push by Indian squash federations to expose players to competitive international fields at home — a smart strategy, but one whose returns will only show over multiple seasons.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of Sanya Vats's semifinal at the HCL Chennai PSA Challenger?
Sanya Vats lost to top seed Rouqaia Othman of Egypt 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 in straight games in the women's semifinal on 14 July at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. The result ended India's campaign in the women's draw.
How did Sanya Vats reach the semifinals?
Vats, seeded fourth, defeated eighth seed compatriot Unnati Tripathi in four games in the women's quarterfinals to advance as the lone Indian semifinalist in the women's draw.
How did India's other players fare at the HCL Chennai PSA Challenger?
Suraj Chand (men's second seed) won his pre-quarterfinal but exited in the next round. Om Semwal, Rathika Seelan, Unnati Tripathi, Pooja Arthi Raghu, and Ananya Narayanan all reached the quarterfinals but could not advance further.
Who are the finalists at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai?
In the men's draw, Joachim Chuah (Malaysia) and Adham Roshdy (Egypt) advanced to the final. In the women's draw, top seed Rouqaia Othman (Egypt) and sixth seed Hwayeong Eum (South Korea) will contest the title.
What is the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai?
It is a professional squash tournament on the PSA Challenger Tour, hosted at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai. The event draws international players and serves as a key competitive platform for Indian squash talent on home soil.
