Tandon, Senthilkumar exit World Squash Championships in opening round
Synopsis
India's squash campaign at the World Championships took a mixed turn in Giza. While Tandon and Senthilkumar fell to higher-ranked opponents in opening-round routs, Veer Chotrani engineered a dramatic comeback against fellow Indian Abhay Singh to set up a second-round showdown with defending champion Mostafa Asal. India remains without a singles medal at the event.
Key Takeaways
Ramit Tandon lost to Kareem El Torkey (world No.
21) 6-11, 11-7, 6-11, 0-11 in the opening round.
Velavan Senthilkumar fell to Victor Crouin (world No.
5) 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 .
Veer Chotrani defeated compatriot Abhay Singh , an Asian Games medallist, after losing the first two games.
Chotrani will face defending champion Mostafa Asal (world No.
1) in the second round on Sunday.
India has never won a singles medal at the World Squash Championships .
Ramit Tandon and Velavan Senthilkumar were eliminated in the men's opening round of the World Squash Championships in Giza, Egypt on Saturday, continuing India's struggle at the elite tournament. World No. 40 Tandon fell to Egyptian world No. 21 Kareem El Torkey with a scoreline of 6-11, 11-7, 6-11, 0-11, while world No. 50 Senthilkumar was outmatched by world No. 5 Victor Crouin of France, who prevailed 11-8, 11-8, 11-3.
Chotrani advances after dramatic turnaround
In a contrasting result, Veer Chotrani staged a remarkable comeback to defeat compatriot Abhay Singh, an Asian Games medallist, after dropping the first two games. Chotrani clinched the opening game in a tight tie-break before finding himself on the brink of elimination. He rallied to win the subsequent two games and secure passage to the second round.
Chotrani's perspective on the win
"It's obviously tough to play a countryman in the first round of the World Championships. We don't want one of us to get out in the first round, but this was how it was planned and I'm very happy to be the one that got through," Chotrani said after the match. He credited the victory as validation of his recent preparation, adding: "It's a big confidence booster for the work I've put in in the last few weeks. To get a result like this is very positive. I lost to Abhay the last time in India when we played in the final and I was very disappointed with that performance."
Road ahead for Chotrani
Chotrani will face world No. 1 Mostafa Asal of Egypt, the defending champion, in the second round on Sunday. The matchup represents one of the tournament's marquee encounters at this stage.
India's World Championships history
India's campaign at last year's World Championships in Chicago concluded in the second round, with Anahat Singh, Veer Chotrani, Abhay Singh, and Ramit Tandon all suffering competitive losses, while Velavan Senthilkumar exited in the opening round. Notably, India has yet to secure a medal in singles events at the World Squash Championships.
Point of View
Offset by occasional upsets. Chotrani's win over Singh is encouraging, but the broader picture remains stark — no singles medal in the event's history and a second-round ceiling that has held for years. Without a structural shift in player development and international competition exposure, India risks remaining a fringe squash nation at the world level.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who advanced from India at the World Squash Championships opening round?
Veer Chotrani advanced after defeating compatriot Abhay Singh in a dramatic comeback, winning after losing the opening two games. He will face defending champion Mostafa Asal in the second round.
What were Ramit Tandon's match details?
Ramit Tandon, world No. 40, lost to Egyptian Kareem El Torkey (world No. 21) with a scoreline of 6-11, 11-7, 6-11, 0-11 in the opening round.
How did Velavan Senthilkumar perform?
Velavan Senthilkumar, world No. 50, was defeated by Frenchman Victor Crouin (world No. 5) with a scoreline of 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 in the opening round.
Has India won a singles medal at the World Squash Championships?
No, India has never won a singles medal at the World Squash Championships despite fielding competitive players in recent editions.
Who will Veer Chotrani face next?
Veer Chotrani will meet world No. 1 and defending champion Mostafa Asal of Egypt in the second round on Sunday.
