Tanvi Khanna, Suraj Chand reach PSA Challenger Tour semifinals in Kolkata
Synopsis
India's top squash seeds Tanvi Khanna and Suraj Kumar Chand are both through to the semifinals of the HCL PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata — Chand fresh off a 73-minute five-game thriller earlier in the week. Both now face Egyptian opponents, making the last four a true India-versus-Egypt showdown.
Key Takeaways
Tanvi Khanna (women's top seed) beat Nirupama Dubey 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 to reach the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata .
Suraj Kumar Chand (men's 4th seed) defeated Om Semwal 11-8, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6 to advance to the last four.
Chand is a recent World University Championships singles champion and survived a 73-minute five-game match against Hassan Menshawy in the pre-quarters.
Tanvi faces Egyptian third seed Sohayla Hazem ; Chand faces Egyptian top seed Mohamed Gohar in the semifinals.
The tournament carries a prize fund of $9,000 each in the men's and women's draws; Kolkata is the fourth leg of the circuit.
Women's top seed Tanvi Khanna and men's fourth seed Suraj Kumar Chand advanced to the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata on Wednesday, 12 August, keeping India's challenge alive at the $9,000 prize-fund event.
Tanvi Khanna Storms Through
Tanvi dispatched sixth-seeded compatriot Nirupama Dubey in straight games — 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 — in the quarterfinals, underscoring her dominance as the top seed. She will next face Egyptian third seed Sohayla Hazem in the last four, a stern test against a player who swept Ananya Narayanan 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 in the quarters.
Suraj Chand's Gritty Run
Chand, who recently claimed the World University Championships singles title, beat eighth seed Om Semwal 11-8, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6 in four games to book his semifinal berth. He now faces a formidable challenge in Egyptian top seed Mohamed Gohar, who eliminated Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 in the quarterfinals.
Chand's path to the quarters was equally demanding. On Tuesday, he survived a 73-minute five-game thriller against Egypt's Hassan Menshawy, winning 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 in the pre-quarterfinals.
Other Indian Performances
In the men's draw, Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar produced a remarkable comeback on Tuesday, rallying from 2-0 down to beat sixth seed Ayaan Vaziralli 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 before falling to Gohar in the quarters. Arihant K.S. defeated Switzerland's Leandro Mannhart 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-4 in the opening round on Monday.
In the women's section, Pooja Arthi Raghu won a five-game battle against Kaashvi Mangal 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, while Ananya Narayanan defeated Aahana Singh 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-8 in the first round before exiting at the quarterfinal stage.
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 is the fourth stop on the circuit, which has previously visited Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai. With both Tanvi and Chand in the last four, India has a real shot at podium finishes when the semifinals are played.
Point of View
And doing so with the kind of five-game resilience that separates tournament winners from early exits. Tanvi Khanna's straight-games efficiency at the top of the women's draw is equally notable, but the real measure of Indian squash's depth will come in the semifinals, where both players face opponents ranked and seeded above the domestic circuit's comfort zone. The HCL tour's multi-city format is quietly building match-hardened experience for Indian players on home soil — a structural advantage that rarely gets its due in the broader sports conversation.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Indian players in the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata?
Women's top seed Tanvi Khanna and men's fourth seed Suraj Kumar Chand are the two Indians in the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata, following their quarterfinal wins on 12 August.
Who will Tanvi Khanna face in the semifinals?
Tanvi Khanna will face Egyptian third seed Sohayla Hazem in the semifinals. Hazem reached the last four after defeating Ananya Narayanan 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 in the quarterfinals.
Who will Suraj Kumar Chand face in the semifinals?
Suraj Kumar Chand will take on Egyptian top seed Mohamed Gohar in the semifinals. Gohar beat Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 in the quarterfinals.
What is the prize money for the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour Kolkata event?
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 HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour, which has previously been held in Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai.
What is Suraj Kumar Chand's recent achievement before this tournament?
Suraj Kumar Chand recently won the World University Championships singles title. At the Kolkata PSA event, he also survived a gruelling 73-minute five-game match against Egypt's Hassan Menshawy in the pre-quarterfinals before advancing further.
