Abhay, Anahat bag Asian Squash 2025 honours
New Delhi, March 31: India’s Abhay Singh has been declared outstanding Men’s Player of the Year 2025 by the Asian Squash Federation, while rising teenaged sensation Anahat Singh was selected for the top honours in the girls section (juniors). The Indian boys team, which clinched bronze at the 2025 World Junior Team Championships in Egypt, was picked for the men’s team award, according to the awardees list released by Asian Squash Federation (ASF). Abhay, currently ranked 25th in the world, is a multiple-time Asian Games medallist and Asian Championships winner, and was also a member of the team that won India’s maiden World Cup mixed team title last year. World No. 20 Anahat is also a multiple Asian Games and Asian Championships medallist. In 2025, she won bronze at the World Junior Championships in Cairo and was also a part of India’s gold medal-winning World Cup mixed team. The previous time Indian players featured on the ASF annual awards list was in 2022 when Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa bagged the men’s and women’s players honours respectively. (PTI)
Mapara, Yadnik, Dandekar record 4th wins in All India Chess Masters
Mumbai, March 31: Palaash Mapara, Pratik Yadnik and Ameya Dandekar recorded their fourth consecutive wins respectively in the fourth round of the All India Chess Master’s third season here on Tuesday. The tournament is a FIDE-rated classical chess tournament organised by the Mumbai Chess Centre. Mapara defeated Dhruv Muthe (3 points) on the third board. Yadnik (4 points) defeated Aditya Siddharth (3 points) on the fourth board. Amey Dandekar (4 points) also registered his fourth win as he overcame Viraj Rathi (3 points) on the seventh board. (PTI)
Four Indians reach second round of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Open
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, March 31: Four Indian players advanced to the second round of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Open Endurance Women’s USD 15,000 ITF tournament here on Tuesday. The tournament is being held under the aegis of the All India Tennis Association and the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. Harshini N Nagaraj registered a 6-4, 6-1 win over Aakruti Sonkusare in one hour and 21 minutes, while Sandeepti Singh Rao also advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Soha Sadiq. Saumya Ronde defeated Jeetesh Kumari 6-4, 6-1, while wildcard entrant Yashaswini Panwar registered a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over qualifier Chevika Reddy Sama. In other first-round matches, third seed Russian Ekaterina Yashina overcame Sahira Singh 6-1, 6-4, while Tea Kovacevic from Bosnia and Herzegovina got past Prathyusha Rachapudi 7-5, 6-1. Sevil Yuldasheva of Uzbekistan defeated Britain’s Melissa Boyden of Britain 6-4, 6-1. Seventh seed Elena Jamshidi of Denmark rallied after losing the first set to beat Elsa Wan of Malaysia 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. (PTI)
Pankaj Advani clinches National 9-ball pool title on debut
Ludhiana, March 31:Iconic Indian cueist Pankaj Advani delivered another superb performance to clinch his maiden National 9-ball pool title here on Tuesday. The multiple-time world champion, representing the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), outplayed Nitin Sharma of Chandigarh 11-6 in the race-to-11 final in front of an appreciative crowd. “I can’t believe it, this is a very different title,” said Advani. “It means so much to me winning a sport which is outside of my comfort zone! To be an underdog and eventually go on to lift the trophy is something I never imagined in my wildest dreams would happen.” Winner of 28 world titles in billiards and snooker, Advani showed he is equally skilful in this high-speed version of cue sports. (PTI)
