Squash World Cup: India start strong with 4-0 victory over Hong Kong | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India’s squash team, seeded second in the SDAT WSF Squash World Cup, began their campaign on Tuesday with a resounding 4-0 victory over Hong Kong in a Pool B match held in Chennai. Earlier in the day, top-seeded Egypt showcased their dominance by defeating Australia with a clean sweep.
In the India-Hong Kong clash, Abhay Singh set the tone for the host team with a convincing performance, defeating Chung Yat Long in straight games 7-2, 7-3, 7-6. Experienced player Joshna Chinappa further extended India’s advantage by overpowering Heylie Fung in a straightforward match, securing a 7-1, 7-5, 7-6 victory in just 20 minutes.
Reflecting on his match, Abhay Singh expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I was a bit nervous at the start. It’s a big crowd, you’re playing at home and you want to start well! I think I did pretty well and I’m happy with that!”
Saurav Ghosal faced some resistance from To Yu Ling but eventually triumphed, rallying after dropping the opening game 5-7 to win the next three games with scores of 7-2, 7-5, 7-1.
The fourth and final match saw Tanvi Khanna stage an impressive comeback after losing the first two games against Tse Yee Lam Toby. Khanna displayed resilience and determination, ultimately emerging victorious with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-7, 7-1, 7-4, 7-3 in just 26 minutes, sealing a comprehensive 4-0 triumph for India.
On Wednesday, India will face South Africa in their Pool B encounter. South Africa, seeded seventh, suffered a 3-1 defeat to Japan, the third seeds, in the opening match of the day.
In another highly anticipated match, top seeds Egypt showcased their class as they shut out Australia. Karim El Hammamy, after a challenging start in the opening match, quickly recovered from losing the first game 7-5 to dominate the rest of the contest. He secured a comfortable victory with consecutive 7-3 wins, sandwiched between a dominant bagel—registering the first 11-0 scoreline of the World Cup.
The SDAT WSF Squash World Cup continues to captivate fans with thrilling matches and displays of exceptional skill. The competition promises to provide more exciting moments as the participating nations vie for glory and showcase the beauty of squash on the international stage.
Results:
Pool B: Japan (3rd seed) beat South Africa (7) 3-1 (Tomotaka Endo beat Jean-Pierre Brits 7-4, 1-7, 2-7, 7-3, 7-5; Satomi Watanabe beat Lizelle Muller 7-2, 7-1, 7-2; Ryunosuke Tsukue beat Dewald van Niekerk 4-7, 7-5, 7-5, 7-3; Akari Midorikawa lost to Hayley Ward 7-5 5-7 1-7 2-7). India (2) beat Hong Kong, China 4-0 (Abhay Singh beat Chung Yat Long 7-2, 7-3, 7-6; Joshna Chinappa beat Heylie Fung 7-1, 7-5, 7-5; Saurav Ghosal beat To Yu Ling 5-7, 7-2, 7-5, 7-1; Tanvi Khanna beat Tse Yee Lam Toby 3-2: 5-7, 6-7, 7-1, 7-4, 7-3).
Pool A: Egypt (1) beat Australia (5) 4-0 (Karim El Hammamy beat Nicholas Calvert 5-7, 7-3, 7-0, 7-3; Fayrouz Aboelkheir beat Jessica Turnbull 5-7, 7-4, 7-4, 7-4; Aly Abou Eleinen beat Joseph White 3-0: 7-1, 7-6, 7-2; Kenzy Ayman beat Alexandra Haydon 7-5, 7-3, 7-4). Malaysia (4) beat Colombia (8) 3-1 (Sai Hung Ong beat Alfonso Marroquin 7-2, 7-3, 7-4; Aira Azman beat Laura Tovar 5-7, 7-0, 7-3, 7-1; Darren Pragasam beat Felipe Tovar 7-2, 7-2, 7-2; Xin Ying Yee lost to Catalina Pelaez 6-7, 6-7, 7-2, 5-7).
(With inputs from PTI)