NEW DELHI, May 7: India’s four-member men’s contingent will aim to make a strong impression at the World Squash Championships, which gets underway in Giza, Egypt, on Friday. The Indian challenge will be led by Abhay Singh, alongside Veer Chotrani, Ramit Tandon, and Velavan Senthilkumar, in the prestigious tournament organised by the Professional Squash Association.
The championship, scheduled from May 8 to 16 at the Palm Hills Club and PGC Golf Central Mall in Giza, will feature several of the sport’s top-ranked players, including reigning men’s world No. 1 Mostafa Asal and women’s top-ranked star Hania El Hammamy.
India’s top-ranked player in the men’s singles draw, Abhay Singh, faces a difficult start after being drawn against compatriot Veer Chotrani in the opening round. Abhay, currently ranked No. 22 in the world, enters the event as India’s leading hope.
The winner of the all-Indian clash could face an even tougher assignment in the second round against defending champion Mostafa Asal or Germany’s Raphael Kandra.
Velavan Senthilkumar has also been handed a challenging opener and will take on France’s sixth-seeded Victor Crouin, who is currently ranked fifth in the world.
Meanwhile, Ramit Tandon begins his campaign against Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey. The Indian, ranked world No. 40, will aim to overcome the higher-ranked Egyptian in a bid to progress further in the tournament.
India endured an early exit at last year’s edition in Chicago, where the campaign ended in the second round. Abhay Singh, Veer Chotrani, and Ramit Tandon bowed out after hard-fought defeats, while Velavan Senthilkumar exited in the opening round following a loss to Peru’s Diego Elias.
Indian women’s players, including promising youngster Anahat Singh, will not feature in this year’s competition.
India is still chasing its first medal in the singles category at the World Squash Championships, with the country hoping to make a breakthrough ahead of squash’s debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Where to watch: Fans in India can watch the tournament through live streaming on the official SquashTV platform. There will be no live television broadcast of the event in the country.
Indian squad: Abhay Singh, Veer Chotrani, Ramit Tandon, Velavan Senthilkumar. (IANS)
