Suraj Kumar Chand survives Menshawy five-game battle at HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour, Kolkata
Synopsis
Fresh off a World University Squash Championship title, Suraj Kumar Chand needed all five games and 73 minutes to get past Egypt's Hassan Menshawy at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata — a sign of how competitive the field is. With multiple Egyptians seeded in the top three, India's quarterfinal prospects hinge on upsets like Shaurya Bawa's win over seventh seed Kouritam.
Key Takeaways
Suraj Kumar Chand (4th seed) beat Egypt's Hassan Menshawy 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 in 73 minutes at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour , Kolkata , on 11 August .
Chand is the reigning World University Squash Championship singles title holder.
Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar came back from 2-0 down to beat sixth seed Ayaan Vaziralli and reach the men's quarters.
Top seed Tanvi Khanna advanced to the women's quarters with a straight-games win over Vasundhara Nangare .
Shaurya Bawa upset seventh seed Islam Kouritam (Egypt) in four games.
The tournament carries a prize fund of $9,000 each in the men's and women's sections; Kolkata is the fourth leg of the circuit after Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai.
Fourth seed Suraj Kumar Chand, riding high on his recent World University Squash Championship singles title, edged past Egypt's Hassan Menshawy in a gruelling 73-minute five-game contest — 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 — to advance to the men's quarterfinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata on Tuesday, 11 August.
Key Developments from the Pre-Quarterfinals
Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar produced a remarkable comeback in the men's draw, recovering from 2-0 down to defeat sixth seed Ayaan Vaziralli 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 and book his place in the quarters. The five-game battle mirrored the drama of Chand's match and underscored the depth of Indian squash talent on display at the Kolkata leg.
In the women's draw, top seed Tanvi Khanna progressed in clinical fashion, defeating Vasundhara Nangare in straight games 11-3, 11-6, 11-7 to secure her quarterfinal berth without dropping a game.
Monday's First-Round Action
Arihant K.S. set the tone for Indian performances on Monday, defeating Switzerland's Leandro Mannhart 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-4 in the men's singles opening round. On the women's side, Pooja Arthi Raghu came through a five-game contest against Kaashvi Mangal 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, while Ananya Narayanan beat Aahana Singh 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-8 and Vasundhara Nangare overcame compatriot Janet Vidhi 11-8, 11-5, 11-5.
Full Pre-Quarterfinal Results
In the men's pre-quarters, eighth seed Om Semwal beat Ravi Dixit 11-6, 12-10, 12-14, 11-2; top seed Mohamed Gohar (Egypt) defeated Arihant K.S. 12-10, 11-2, 11-6; second seed Ahmed Said Sobhy (Egypt) beat Deepak Mandal 11-9, 12-10, 6-11, 11-4; fifth seed Hazem Hossam (Egypt) overcame Rahul Baitha 6-11, 13-11, 11-3, 11-5; third seed Seif Refaay (Egypt) beat Germany's Fabian Igelbrink 11-1, 11-3, 11-4; and Shaurya Bawa upset seventh seed Islam Kouritam (Egypt) 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-3.
In the women's pre-quarters, third seed Sohayla Hazem (Egypt) beat eighth seed Anjali Semwal 11-4, 12-10, 11-5; Ananya Narayanan defeated Rani Gupta 11-4, 11-1, 11-5; seventh seed Nirupama Dubey beat Vyomika Khandelwal 11-8, 11-5, 11-4; fourth seed Karolina Sramkova (Czech Republic) overcame Reiva Nimbalkar 11-4, 11-2, 12-10; second seed Menna Walid (Egypt) beat Anika Dubey 12-10, 11-6, 12-10; seventh seed Unnati Tripathi beat Sahana Kalaivanan 11-1, 11-3, 11-5; and fifth seed Rathika Seelan defeated Pooja Arthi Raghu 11-1, 11-2, 11-3.
About the Tournament
The HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour carries a prize fund of $9,000 each in the men's and women's sections. The Kolkata leg follows earlier stops in Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai, making it the fourth edition of the domestic circuit this season. The quarterfinals are expected to feature a strong Egyptian contingent alongside several Indian hopefuls.
Point of View
But the broader story from Kolkata is structural: Egyptian players occupy the top three seeds in the men's draw and are eliminating Indian contenders at pace. Chand's World University title gives him momentum, yet the senior PSA circuit is a different test — and the quarterfinals will show whether Indian squash has the depth to compete beyond the first round against elite international opposition. The HCL circuit's four-city domestic leg is a valuable exposure platform, but prize money of $9,000 per section keeps it firmly in development territory. If the goal is to produce PSA World Tour regulars, the funding and ranking points on offer will need to scale.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Suraj Kumar Chand and why is his win significant?
Suraj Kumar Chand is an Indian squash player and the current World University Squash Championship singles title holder. His five-game win over Egypt's Hassan Menshawy at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata on 11 August is significant as it extends his momentum from the university-level world title into senior PSA competition.
What is the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour?
The HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour is a domestic squash circuit held across multiple Indian cities, offering a prize fund of $9,000 each in the men's and women's sections. The 2025 edition has covered Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai before arriving at its Kolkata leg.
Which Indian players advanced to the quarterfinals in Kolkata?
In the men's draw, Suraj Kumar Chand and Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar advanced, along with Shaurya Bawa and Om Semwal. In the women's draw, top seed Tanvi Khanna and Ananya Narayanan progressed, among others.
What was the scoreline in Suraj Chand's match against Menshawy?
Suraj Kumar Chand defeated Hassan Menshawy 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 in a five-game match lasting 73 minutes in the men's pre-quarterfinals on 11 August in Kolkata.
How did Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar reach the quarterfinals?
Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar came back from 2-0 down to defeat sixth seed Ayaan Vaziralli 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in a five-game contest, one of the more dramatic results of the pre-quarterfinal round.
