Squash: Tanvi Khanna, Suraj Chand in semifinals of PSA Challenger Tour event in Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 12 (IANS) Women’s top seed Tanvi Khanna and men’s fourth seed Suraj Kumar Chand were the Indians who advanced to the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Tanvi defeated sixth-seed compatriot Nirupama Dubey in straight games in the quarterfinals and will meet Egyptian third seed Sohayla Hazem next.

Chand, who won the World University Championships singles crown recently, beat eighth seed compatriot Om Semwal in four games, and will take on Egyptian top seed Mohamed Gohar in the semifinals.

Earlier on Tuesday, Suraj Chand overcame Egypt’s Hassan Menshawy in a 73-minute-long five-game thriller, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 9-11, 11-8 in the men’s pre-quarterfinals.

In another engrossing five-game contest, Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar rallied from 2-0 down to beat sixth seed Ayaan Vaziralli 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 and advance to the men’s quarters.

In the women’s section, top seed Tanvi Khanna moved to the quarters with a straight-games win over Vasundhara Nangare.

Arihant K.S. defeated Switzerland’s Leandro Mannhart 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-4 in the men’s singles opening round on Monday.

In women’s first-round action, Pooja Arthi Raghu rallied to beat Kaashvi Mangal 13-15, 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9. Another Indian player, Ananya Narayanan, defeated Aahana Singh 8-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-8, while Vasundhara Nangare got the better of compatriot Janet Vidhi 11-8, 11-5, 11-5.

The event has a prize fund of $9,000 for the men’s section, while in the women’s section, the prize money is $9,000. The HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour has so far organised events in Indore, Mumbai, and Chennai, and is now in the Kolkata leg.

Results (Quarterfinals, Indians unless specified):

Men: 4-Suraj Kumar Chand bt 8-Om Semwal 11-8, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6; 1-Mohamed Gohar (Egy) bt Sandhesh Palanivel Ravikumar 11-8, 11-7, 11-6; 3-Seif Refaay (Egy) bt 5-Hazem Hossam (Egy) 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-4; 2-Ahmed Said Sobhy (Egy) bt Shaurya Bawa 10-12, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5.

Women: 3-Sohayla Hazem (Egy) bt Ananya Narayanan 11-2, 11-3, 11-2; 1-Tanvi Khanna bt 6-Nirupama Dubey 11-9, 11-6, 11-5; 4-Karolina Sramkova (Cze) bt 5-Rathika Seelan 11-4, 11-5, 11-7; 2-Menna Walid (Egy) bt 7-Unnati Tripathi 11-9, 3-11, 11-4, 11-8.

–IANS

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