China Open squash: Anahat makes winning start; Abhay, Senthilkumar bow out

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Reigning women’s national champion Anahat Singh made a winning start at the China Open PSA event in Shanghai on Tuesday, while compatriots Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh lost in the men’s opening round.

Delhi teenager Anahat, ranked 38 in the world, beat Egypt’s Menna Hamed 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 in the Round-of-32 of the PSA Gold event, and will next meet Egyptian eighth seed and world No. 15 Sana Ibrahim.

Abhay lost to Baptiste Masotti, the French world No. 17, winning 11-8, 11-7, 11-4, while Senthilkumar went down to higher-ranked Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar 8-11, 12-14, 6-11.

Earlier, Anahat Singh did well at the Canadian Open, storming into the semifinals of the event. The 17-year-old advanced to the quarterfinals of the USD 96,250 PSA Silver tournament in Toronto with a stunning win over World Ranking 7 Tinne Gilis to enter the semifinals.

Ranked 43 in the world, the Delhi teenager beat French world No. 20 and sixth seed Melissa Alves 12-10, 12-10, 8-11, 11-2 in 41 minutes in the Round of 16 on Sunday.

The bronze medallists in the Women's Team and Women's Doubles event in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. She also won gold medals in the 2025 Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

--IANS

bsk/