SRFI PSA Challenger Mumbai: Senthilkumar cruises; Semwal, Shamina exit
Synopsis
Top seed Velavan Senthilkumar cruised through at the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger in Mumbai, but the real story was India's young guns — Om Semwal pushed the 8th seed to a five-game decider after upsetting the 3rd seed a day earlier, while Shamina Riaz, fresh off stunning the women's top seed, bowed out in the quarters. Indian squash's depth is showing — even if the results didn't go the distance.
Key Takeaways
Velavan Senthilkumar (top seed) beat Ayaan Vaziralli 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 to reach the quarter-finals of the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger in Mumbai .
Om Semwal , 22 , lost a five-game thriller to 8th seed Ziad Ibrahim of Egypt 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 , a day after upsetting the 3rd seed.
Shamina Riaz exited the women's quarter-finals, losing to Japan's 6th seed Akari Midorikawa 12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-2 .
Shamina had beaten top seed Hayley Ward of South Africa on Tuesday — she holds the last spot on India's Asian Games squash team.
The tournament is being hosted by Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club on their air-conditioned courts in Mumbai .
Top seed Velavan Senthilkumar opened his campaign with a commanding straight-game victory at the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament in Mumbai on Wednesday, 1 July, while compatriots Om Semwal and Shamina Riaz exited after hard-fought defeats at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club's air-conditioned courts.
Senthilkumar Rolls Through
Senthilkumar barely tested his reserves, dispatching Ayaan Vaziralli 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 in the men's second round to advance to the quarter-finals without breaking a sweat. He was joined there by 4th seed A. Hafez and 7th seed T. Endo of Japan, both of whom also progressed with straight-game wins.
Semwal's Spirited Run Ends in Five
Om Semwal, the 22-year-old from Jindal Vashind who had sensationally knocked out the 3rd seed in a five-game thriller on Tuesday, pushed 8th seed Ziad Ibrahim of Egypt to the limit once more. Semwal won the second and fourth games but faltered in the deciding fifth, with Ibrahim eventually prevailing 11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9. The defeat ends a memorable run for the young Indian, who had been one of the standout performers of the tournament.
Shamina Falls to Japanese 6th Seed
In the women's quarter-finals, Shamina Riaz — who had stunned top seed Hayley Ward of South Africa on Tuesday — could not sustain her momentum against Japan's 6th seed Akari Midorikawa. Midorikawa, who had entered the match with a 1-1 record, controlled the contest to win 12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-2, ending Shamina's impressive campaign.
Tuesday's Upsets: How Semwal and Shamina Shone
The tournament's previous day had been defined by two remarkable Indian upsets. Shamina Riaz, 20, from Chennai — who had secured the last spot on the Indian team for the Asian Games — rallied from dropping the opening game to defeat top seed Ward 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9. Semwal, meanwhile, showed exceptional discipline, stamina, and tactical guile to outlast 3rd seed Diego Gobbi of Brazil in five games. Among other Indian results, 3rd seed Tanvi Khanna beat Pooja Arthi Raghu 3-0, while 5th seed Suraj Kumar Chand fell in three games to Egypt's Ziad Ibrahim on Monday night.
Full Results
Men's 2nd Round: (1) Velavan Senthilkumar bt Ayaan Vaziralli 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-6); (4) A. Hafez bt A. Dewan 3-0 (12-10, 11-3, 11-9); (7) T. Endo (Japan) bt R. Baitha 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-5).
Men's Quarter-Final: M. Syafiq Kamal (Malaysia) bt S. Eltorgman (Egypt) 3-1 (11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8); (8) Z. Ibrahim bt O. Semwal 3-2 (11-5, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9).
Women's 2nd Round: (4) N. Khafagy bt S. Vats 3-1 (7-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7); (5) M. Fathy bt A. Dubey 3-0 (12-10, 11-4, 11-6); (7) R. Sugimoto bt U. Tripathi 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-6); (2) F. Walid bt N. Dubey 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-7).
Women's Quarter-Final: (6) A. Midorikawa bt S. Riaz 3-1 (12-10, 11-8, 5-11, 11-2).
With Senthilkumar safely through, Indian eyes will now turn to whether the top seed can go all the way at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club and claim the USD 15,000 title.
Point of View
Which is precisely where the pipeline needs to thicken. The question is whether the SRFI has the development infrastructure to convert these tournament cameos into consistent rankings movement.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament in Mumbai on 1 July?
Top seed Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Ayaan Vaziralli (11-4, 11-9, 11-6) at the USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger in Mumbai on 1 July. The tournament is ongoing at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club.
How did Om Semwal perform at the SRFI PSA Challenger?
Om Semwal, 22, had a standout tournament — he upset 3rd seed Diego Gobbi of Brazil in five games on Tuesday before losing a close five-game quarter-final to 8th seed Ziad Ibrahim of Egypt (11-9, 11-13, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9) on Wednesday.
Did Shamina Riaz qualify for the Asian Games?
Yes, Shamina Riaz has secured the last spot on the Indian squash team for the Asian Games. At the SRFI PSA Challenger, she upset women's top seed Hayley Ward of South Africa before losing to Japan's 6th seed Akari Midorikawa in the quarter-finals.
Where is the SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament being held?
The USD 15,000 SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament is being hosted by the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club (JVPG) on their air-conditioned squash courts in Mumbai.
Which other Indians are competing at the SRFI PSA Challenger?
Among other Indian participants, Tanvi Khanna (3rd seed) beat Pooja Arthi Raghu 3-0 in the women's draw. Suraj Kumar Chand (5th seed) lost in three games to Egypt's Ziad Ibrahim earlier in the tournament.
