Anahat Singh-Joshna Chinappa enter semi-finals of Asian Squash Doubles Championship

JOHOR(Malaysia): India’s women’s doubles pair of Anahat Singh and Joshna Chinappa advanced to the semi-finals of the ongoing Asian Squash Doubles Championship at the Arena Emas in Johor on Tuesday.

Named the Women’s Challenger Player of the Season for 2024, Anahat Singh and her partner Joshna Chinappa looked well in control of their quarter-final match as they beat the Philippines’ Jemyca Aribado and Yvonne Alyssa Dalida 2-0 (11-6, 11-3) in just 12 minutes, as per Olympics.com.

India’s other women’s doubles pair, Pooja Arthi Raghu and Rathika Seelan, beat Singapore’s Vicky Yue Ying Lai and Gracia Chua Rui En 2-0 (11-8, 11-9) in their Pool B match to progress to the quarter-finals.

However, they lost their quarter-final match 2-0 (11-7,11-8) to Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani and Yee Xin Ying and will now compete in the placement round matches which determine who finishes between the fifth to eighth spots in the women’s doubles.

In the men’s doubles, defending champions Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar had to fight back from being a game down to advance to the semi-finals.

Up against Minwoo Lee and Jooyoung Na of the Republic of Korea in the quarter-final, the Indian squash players rallied from behind to clinch a 2-1 (10-11, 11-3, 11-5) win.

Ravi Dixit and Guhan Senthilkumar, on the other hand, failed to make the quarter-finals after losing their final Pool C match 2-0 (11-6, 11-8) against Cheuk Nam Lai and Wailok To of Hong Kong China.

They were also beaten 2-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-10) by Singapore’s Boon Hwi Edward Thng and Yew Sing Timothy Leong in the placement round match, which decides who finishes between ninth and 16th position.

Meanwhile, both of India’s mixed doubles squash teams received byes in the round of 12 and progressed to the quarter-finals, which will take place on Wednesday.

Asian Games bronze medallists and top seeds Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh will face the Philippines’ Jemyca Aribado and David William Pelino in the quarter-finals.

Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar will take on Asian Games medallist Aira Azman and Joachim Chuah of Malaysia in the final eight of the mixed doubles. (ANI)