Indian Open Squash: Anahat, Joshna, Abhay Power into Semis
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Synopsis
On March 26, at the Bombay Gymkhana, India's leading squash players Anahat Singh, Joshna Chinappa, and Abhay Singh secured their places in the semifinals of the Indian Open. The tournament, India's first PSA Copper event, is being held on an outdoor glass court, adding a unique atmosphere to the competition.
Key Takeaways
- Anahat Singh showcased remarkable skill to reach the semifinals.
- Joshna Chinappa displayed her experience in a thrilling match against Akanksha Salunkhe.
- Abhay Singh continued his strong form, winning decisively in the men's draw.
- The tournament features India’s first-ever PSA Copper event.
- The unique outdoor glass court provided an exciting backdrop for the matches.
Mumbai, March 26 (NationPress) The nation's premier squash stars, Anahat Singh, Joshna Chinappa, and Abhay Singh, illuminated the evening at the Bombay Gymkhana as they claimed their spots in the semifinals of the Indian Open on Wednesday.
The JSW Indian Open 2025 marks India's inaugural PSA Copper event, featuring a remarkable shift to an outdoor glass court set on the lawns of the Bombay Gymkhana. The semifinals and finals will also unfold on this unique outdoor setting.
India's top-ranked player, Anahat Singh, backed by JSW, received thunderous applause as she stepped onto the glass court to face Egyptian Nadien Elhammamy.
Although Anahat started strong, putting her opponent on the defensive in the first set, Elhammamy countered in the second, pushing it to a tie-breaker and ultimately winning the set. The Egyptian capitalized on her momentum, taking the next set and leading the match 2-1. However, the home crowd amplified their support, energizing Anahat to level the score at 2-2.
The final set had the audience on the edge of their seats as both competitors fought fiercely. Elhammamy threatened a late victory, but the 17-year-old Indian maintained her composure and secured her place in the semifinals.
In the evening session, the experienced Joshna Chinappa was the first to step onto the glass court, facing top seed Akanksha Salunkhe. Both players, familiar with each other's strategies, engaged in a thrilling match.
Joshna clinched a couple of closely contested sets, but Akanksha retaliated, winning two sets to force a decider. The match, teetering on a knife's edge for 56 minutes, concluded with Chinappa narrowly defeating her opponent 3-2 (12-10, 13-11, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5).
In the men's draw, Abhay Singh faced Malaysian Ameeshenraj Chandaran. Displaying his skill, Abhay dominated the match, denying the Malaysian a chance to settle and winning decisively 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-7) in just 34 minutes.
In the final quarterfinal match, Veer Chotrani confronted Egyptian Kareem El Torkey. Despite his efforts, Veer fell short and was eliminated as El Torkey won 3-0 (11-4, 11-8, 11-5) in 27 minutes.
Other Results
[4] Omar Mosaad (EGY) defeated [8] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (34m)
Helen Tang (HKG) defeated [2] Habiba Hani (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 4-11, 11-6 (33m)
[3] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) defeated [7] Moustafa Elsirty (EGY) 3-2: 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 (90m)
[8] Barb Sameh (EGY) defeated [4] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-1 (25m)
