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Veer Chotrani Stuns Abhay Singh in Five-Game Thriller at World Squash Championships

India's Veer Chotrani defeated compatriot Abhay Singh 3-2 in a thrilling all-Indian opening-round match at the World Squash Championships in Giza, Egypt. Chotrani fought back from 2-1 down to win the decider 11-2 and secure a place in the second round. He will now face defending champion and world No. 1 Mostafa Asal. India has fielded a four-member men's contingent, including Ramit Tandon and Velavan Senthilkumar.

Key Points: Veer Chotrani beats Abhay Singh in World Squash Championships

  • Veer Chotrani defeats Abhay Singh 3-2 (14-12, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-2)
  • Chotrani fights back from 2-1 down to win
  • Victory marks Chotrani's second win over Abhay in three meetings
  • Chotrani faces defending champion Mostafa Asal in second round
  • India fields four-member men's contingent in Giza
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Veer Chotrani stuns Abhay Singh in five-game thriller at World Squash Championships

India's Veer Chotrani stages a comeback to defeat compatriot Abhay Singh 3-2 in an all-Indian clash at the World Squash Championships in Giza, Egypt.

"Veer Chotrani produced a stirring comeback to defeat compatriot Abhay Singh in an all-Indian opening-round clash - Olympics.com"

Giza, May 9

India's Veer Chotrani produced a stirring comeback to defeat compatriot Abhay Singh in an all-Indian opening-round clash at the 2026 World Squash Championships in Giza, Egypt, on Friday.

World No. 45 Chotrani fought back from 2-1 down to overcome India's top-ranked men's player and world No. 22 Abhay 3-2 (14-12, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-2) at the Palm Hills Club and PGC Golf Central Mall, according to Olympics.com.

The victory marked Chotrani's second win over Abhay in three meetings and secured him a place in the second round, where he will face defending champion and world No. 1 Mostafa Asal of Egypt.

The match began with a fiercely contested opening game, with Chotrani edging the tie-break 14-12 to seize the early advantage. Abhay, an Asian Games medallist, responded strongly and took control of the contest by winning the next two games 11-8 and 11-5.

With momentum firmly against him, Chotrani raised his intensity in the fourth game, tightening his control on rallies and forcing errors from Abhay to level the match with an 11-7 win.

The decider, however, turned into a one-sided affair as Chotrani dominated from the outset and wrapped up the fifth game 11-2 to complete an impressive turnaround.

India have fielded a four-member men's contingent at this year's championships. Apart from Chotrani and Abhay, Ramit Tandon and Velavan Senthilkumar are also in action in Giza.

Velavan Senthilkumar, the reigning World Cup gold medallist, is set to face France's sixth seed and world No. 5 Victor Crouin in his opening-round encounter on Saturday. World No. 40 Ramit Tandon will take on Egypt's Kareem El Torkey in another first-round match.

India are still searching for their first singles medal at the World Squash Championships. The sport is scheduled to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Abhay must be disappointed after taking a 2-1 lead. But credit to Chotrani—he showed great mental strength to not give up. The fact that we have four Indian men in a World Championship is itself a big achievement. Hope Ramit and Velavan also do well tomorrow!
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Rohit L
I'm happy for Veer but honestly, Abhay needs to work on his fitness. He's been struggling in longer matches lately—that fifth game was a whitewash. At 22 in the world, he should be finishing off matches like this. Still, great tournament for India already.
A
Aman W
Arre wah! This is exactly what Indian squash needed—a thrilling all-Indian contest. The level of competition between our players is improving rapidly. With squash making its Olympic debut in LA 2028, these boys are paving the way for a golden future. 🔥
M
Michael C
As a squash fan from the US, it's great to see the depth coming from India. I remember when it was just Saurav Ghosal carrying the flag. Now four players in the World Championships is fantastic progress. That 14-12 first game was crucial—changed the entire match.
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Rekha R
I watched the highlights and Veer's movement in the fourth and fifth games was incredible. He completely neutralized Abhay's length game. Next match against Mostafa Asal will be tough—the Egyptian crowd will be wild—but this experience will be invaluable for him. All the best!

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