India's Abhay Singh was eliminated by Egypt's Karim Gawad, a former world No. 1 and world champion, in a pulsating men's quarterfinal at the Grasshopper Cup — a PSA Gold-level squash event — held in Zurich on April 25. Despite a spirited comeback from a massive deficit in the first game, Singh ultimately fell 12-10, 11-9 in a contest that lasted just 32 minutes.

A Stunning Comeback That Wasn't Enough

World No. 24 Abhay Singh found himself staring down a 6-0 deficit in the opening game against world No. 4 Gawad, who came out blazing with clinical, aggressive squash. The Egyptian second seed appeared to be cruising toward a routine victory.

However, Singh — making his first-ever PSA Gold quarterfinal appearance — refused to capitulate. He clawed his way back with relentless pressure, aided by a flurry of unforced errors from Gawad, to level the score and force a tiebreak. It was a display of remarkable mental resilience from the Indian No. 1.

Gawad converted one of his game balls in the tiebreak to go 1-0 up, steadying his nerves just when Singh had the momentum.

Second Game: Singh Fights But Gawad Holds Firm

Singh carried his momentum into the second game, opening up a commanding 5-2 lead as he continued to apply pressure on the Egyptian. It appeared the Indian might force a deciding game.

But Gawad, drawing on his vast experience at the highest level of the PSA World Tour, regrouped and gradually wrestled back control. The former world champion held firm at the crucial junctures, eventually sealing the match 11-9 to advance to the Grasshopper Cup semifinals.

Gawad Praises Singh's Unpredictability

Speaking after the match, Gawad was quoted by the PSA Tour as saying: I am really happy. The pace was really fast, we have only played twice but I feel like we have played more than that. In Qatar he beat me in four and today I got on court and thought I do not want to lose again.

The Egyptian also lavished praise on Singh's ability to keep opponents guessing: In best of three with one of the smartest and talented players on Tour, you can never see what he is thinking with the next shot or the next rally. He can come back with crazy points as you saw in the first game when I was 7-0 up and he came back out of nowhere — in less than three minutes we were tied. You can never underestimate what is going to happen next.

Significance of Singh's Grasshopper Cup Run

This quarterfinal appearance marks a significant milestone for Abhay Singh, who has been steadily climbing the PSA World Rankings. Reaching the last eight of a PSA Gold event — the second-highest tier of professional squash — underlines his growing stature on the global circuit.

Notably, Indian squash has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, with players like Saurav Ghosal having previously broken into the world's top 10. Singh's consistent performances at elite PSA events suggest he is the next standard-bearer for Indian men's squash on the international stage.

This contest also highlighted the fine margins at the top of the sport — Singh was competitive against a former world champion and current world No. 4, suggesting that with continued refinement, he has the tools to challenge the very best.

What Comes Next for Abhay Singh

With the Grasshopper Cup 2025 campaign now over, Singh will look to build on this experience as the PSA World Tour calendar progresses through the summer. His ability to push a player of Gawad's calibre to the limit will provide valuable confidence heading into upcoming tournaments.

For Gawad, the focus now shifts to the Grasshopper Cup semifinals, where he will aim to add another prestigious title to his already decorated career. His form at this event will be closely watched by the squash fraternity ahead of the PSA World Championships later in the year.