SRFI PSA Challenger Squash: Senthilkumar, Tanvi reach semis in Mumbai
Synopsis
Both Indian seeds are alive at the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger in Mumbai — Velavan Senthilkumar overcoming a tight opener against Egypt's Hafez, and Tanvi Khanna grinding through four games against Japan's Zoe Foo. The semifinals now pit India's top hopes against Egyptian and Japanese opposition at the JVPG Club courts.
Key Takeaways
Velavan Senthilkumar (top seed) beat Abdullah Hafez (Egypt, 4th seed) 15-13, 11-4, 11-3 to reach the men's semifinals.
Tanvi Khanna (3rd seed) defeated Zoe Foo (Japan, 8th seed) 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6 to advance in the women's draw.
Senthilkumar faces Yassin Shohdy (Egypt, 2nd seed); Tanvi faces Akari Midorikawa (Japan, 6th seed) in the semis.
India's Om Semwal was eliminated in a five-game thriller by Egypt's Ziad Ibrahim ( 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 ).
The women's second semifinal is an all-Egyptian contest: Farida Walid vs Nour Khafagy .
The tournament is hosted by Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana (JVPG) Club in Mumbai with a prize pool of USD 15,000 .
Indian squash players Velavan Senthilkumar, the men's top seed, and Tanvi Khanna, the women's third seed, advanced to the semifinals of the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana (JVPG) Club in Mumbai on Thursday, 2 July, setting up mouth-watering last-four clashes against Egyptian opponents.
Senthilkumar Survives Shaky Start
Velavan Senthilkumar recovered from a nervy opening game to eliminate Egyptian fourth seed Abdullah Hafez in straight games, winning 15-13, 11-4, 11-3. The top seed's composure grew with each game, and by the third he was in complete control. He now faces second seed Yassin Shohdy of Egypt — who swept seventh seed Tomotaka Endo of Japan 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 — for a place in the final.
Tanvi Khanna Fights Through Four Games
Tanvi Khanna was made to work harder, dropping the third game to eighth seed Zoe Foo of Japan before closing out the match 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6. The result was never seriously in doubt, but Foo's resistance in the third game underlined the competitive depth at this level. Tanvi will next face sixth seed Akari Midorikawa of Japan, who defeated India's Shameena Riaz in four games on Wednesday.
Other Semifinal Line-ups
The second men's semifinal will pit Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia against Egyptian eighth seed Ziad Ibrahim. Ibrahim reached the last four via a gruelling five-game contest against India's Om Semwal, winning 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9. Semwal, who had earlier knocked out the third seed in a five-game thriller, pushed the Egyptian hard before faltering in the decider.
The women's second semifinal will be an all-Egyptian affair, with second seed Farida Walid taking on fourth seed Nour Khafagy. Walid swept seventh seed Risa Sugimoto of Japan 11-5, 11-5, 11-6, while Khafagy accounted for fifth seed Malak Fathy of Egypt 11-1, 11-9, 11-8.
Full Quarterfinal Results
Men's singles: (2) Yassin Shohdy (Egypt) bt (7) Tomotaka Endo (Japan) 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-4); (1) Velavan Senthilkumar (India) bt (4) Abdullah Hafez (Egypt) 3-0 (15-13, 11-4, 11-3); Syafiq Kamal (Malaysia) bt Salah Eltorgman (Egypt) 3-1 (11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8); (8) Ziad Ibrahim (Egypt) bt Om Semwal (India) 3-2 (11-5, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9).
Women's singles: (2) Farida Walid (Egypt) bt (7) Risa Sugimoto (Japan) 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-6); (4) Nour Khafagy (Egypt) bt (5) Malak Fathy (Egypt) 3-0 (11-1, 11-9, 11-8); (3) Tanvi Khanna (India) bt (8) Zoe Foo (Japan) 3-1 (11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6); (6) Akari Midorikawa (Japan) bt Shameena Riaz (India) 3-1 (12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-2).
What's Next
With both Indian hopes alive in the semifinals, the tournament enters its most crucial phase. Senthilkumar's clash with Shohdy and Tanvi's battle with Midorikawa will determine whether India secures a finalist at the JVPG courts.
Point of View
And this tournament is a litmus test for whether the current generation can close that gap. Tanvi's four-game win, while ultimately comfortable, exposed a vulnerability in the third game that a sharper Midorikawa could exploit. The absence of a second Indian woman in the semis — after Shameena Riaz's exit — also underlines the depth gap that Indian women's squash still needs to bridge at the international level.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SRFI PSA Challenger squash tournament?
It is a USD 15,000 professional squash event on the PSA World Tour, organised by the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) and hosted at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana (JVPG) Club in Mumbai. The tournament features top-ranked players from India, Egypt, Japan, and Malaysia, among others.
Who are the Indian players in the semifinals?
Top seed Velavan Senthilkumar and third seed Tanvi Khanna are the two Indian players who have advanced to the semifinals after winning their respective quarterfinals on 2 July.
Who does Senthilkumar face in the semifinals?
Senthilkumar faces Egyptian second seed Yassin Shohdy, who beat Japan's Tomotaka Endo 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 in the quarterfinals.
Who does Tanvi Khanna play in the semifinals?
Tanvi Khanna is set to face sixth seed Akari Midorikawa of Japan, who defeated India's Shameena Riaz in four games on Wednesday.
What happened to India's Om Semwal in the tournament?
Om Semwal, who had earlier beaten the third seed in a five-game match, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Egypt's eighth seed Ziad Ibrahim in another five-game contest, losing 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9.
