Mumbai, Sep 9 ( IANS) Indian squash players put up a strong show on home soil as Veer Chotrani, Suraj Kumar Chand, Akanksha Salunkhe and Tanvi Khanna advanced to the quarterfinals of the Squash Indian Tour 2, a PSA Challenger event, at the Otters Club in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Top seed Veer Chotrani, who had received a bye in the opening round, lived up to expectations in his first outing. The 22-year-old was in control from the outset, dismantling Sri Lanka’s Shamil Wakeel 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 in straight games. Chotrani mixed precision with patience to ensure there were no slip-ups as he progressed smoothly into the last eight.
Seventh seed Suraj Kumar Chand also impressed with a commanding performance. Up against Malaysia’s Md Hafiz Abdul Harif, Chand displayed sharp court coverage and attacking intent to seal a 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 victory, underlining India’s strong presence in the men’s draw.
In the women’s section, second seed Akanksha Salunkhe wasted little time in brushing aside fellow Indian Janet Vidhi. The Goa-based player looked sharp from the very beginning, registering an 11-4, 11-6, 11-3 win to keep her campaign firmly on track.
Sixth seed Tanvi Khanna, however, had to dig deep in one of the day’s most gripping contests. Runner-up in the first leg of the Indian Tour in Jaipur last month, Tanvi looked in trouble after dropping the first two games against Hong Kong’s Bobo Lam. But the Delhi player showed remarkable resilience, clawing her way back to force a decider and holding her nerve in a tense finish to complete a 11-13, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11 comeback victory.
The tournament, supported by HCL along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Sports Authority of India, has attracted a mix of international and home-grown talent. With multiple Indian players advancing to the last eight, the hosts will look to continue their momentum as the competition intensifies.
Indian results (pre-quarterfinals):
Veer Chotrani bt Shamil Wakeel (SL) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8
Suraj Kumar Chand bt Md Hafiz Abdul Harif (MAS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-7
Akanksha Salunkhe bt Janet Vidhi 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Tanvi Khanna bt Bobo Lam (HK) 11-13, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11
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