NewKerala.com

India's Campaign Ends at World Squash Championships After Chotrani Loss

Veer Chotrani's second-round defeat to world number one Mostafa Asal ended India's campaign at the World Squash Championships in Giza. The 24-year-old lost 3-0 to the defending champion after defeating compatriot Abhay Singh in the opening round. Velavan Senthilkumar and Ramit Tandon were also eliminated in the first round. India has never won a medal in singles competition at the World Championships, with squash set to debut at the 2028 Olympics.

Key Points: India's World Squash Campaign Ends in Round Two

  • Veer Chotrani lost 3-0 to world No.1 Mostafa Asal
  • Earlier beat compatriot Abhay Singh in round one
  • Velavan Senthilkumar and Ramit Tandon also exited early
  • India yet to win a singles medal at World Championships
2 min read

World Squash C'ships: Chotrani's loss marks end of India's campaign in round two

Veer Chotrani loses to world No.1 Mostafa Asal, ending India's challenge at World Squash Championships in Giza. Abhay Singh also exits.

"Veer Chotrani's defeat in the second round match against world number one Mostafa Asal marked the end of India's challenge - Olympics.com"

Giza, May 11

Veer Chotrani's defeat in the second round match against world number one Mostafa Asal marked the end of India's challenge at the World Squash Championships being held in Giza, Egypt on Sunday.

Chotrani, ranked 45th in the world rankings, registered a 3-0 loss (11-5, 11-2, 11-4) to local favourite and defending champion Mostafa Asal, as per Olympics.com.

The 24-year-old was only one of four Indian squash stars who made it to the second round of the competition. Enroute to the second round, he beat compatriot and India's top-ranked, World Cup-winning star Abhay Singh 3-2 in the opening round.

The first round saw Velavan Senthilkumar and Ramit Tandon exiting after poor outings. While the world number 50th Senthilkumar lost to France's sixth seed and current world No. 5 Victor Crouin 3-0, the world number 40 Tandon lost to Egypt's Kareem El Torkey by 3-1.

The last year also witnessed India's World Squash Championships campaign fizzling out in the round two in Chicago, as Anahat Singh, Veer Chotrani, Abhay Singh and Ramit Tandon all exited after competitive losses. Velavan Senthilkumar was ousted in the opening round.

However, India's women's squash players, including teen star Anahat Singh, did not compete this year. India is yet to win a medal in the singles competition at the World Championships.

Squash is set for its Olympics debut in the 2028 Los Angeles edition.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a Canadian following world squash, it's sad to see India's campaign end so early. But Veer beating Abhay Singh in the first round was impressive - shows the depth of Indian squash talent. Egypt is just on another level right now. Hopefully we see more Indian players in the top 30 soon!
P
Priya S
Why didn't Anahat Singh participate this time? She's our brightest prospect! Last year she made it to round two as a teenager. Really disappointed with the selection this year. Also, Velavan and Ramit need to step up - they've been stagnating in rankings for too long. 😕
M
Michael C
I follow squash regularly here in the UK. Indian players have improved a lot technically but they still struggle against top 10 players. The difference in speed, power and tactical awareness is huge. More training camps in Egypt or Malaysia would help bridge this gap. Good effort though!
V
Vikram M
Our squash players give their best but we need to invest more in grassroots development. Look at how Egypt produces world beaters - they have squash courts in every school! Meanwhile in India, most people don't even know squash exists outside metro cities. 2028 Olympics might change that, but we need to start planning now. Good fight Veer.
A
Ananya R
Mixed feelings - happy that Veer beat Abhay in the first round (shows our lower ranked players can compete!), but then losing 3-0 to Asal is disappointing. The scoreline 11-2, 11-4 in the last two games shows the gap in class

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50