Asian Games 2026: Anahat Singh to face Tanvi Khanna in quarters

Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna set up an all-Indian women’s singles quarterfinal after advancing on a productive day for India on the squash courts at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday. Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani also moved into the men’s singles last eight, while Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar progressed in mixed doubles.

Anahat, described as a junior world champion and medal favourite, opened her women’s singles campaign with a straight-games victory over Singapore’s Wai Iynn Au Yeong. She won 3-0, with game scores of 11-4, 11-5 and 11-7, completing the match in 19 minutes.

Tanvi followed her compatriot into the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Singapore’s Wai Yhann Au Yeong. After losing the opening game 5-11, Tanvi recovered to take the next two 11-4 and 11-5 before securing a tight fourth game 13-11. Her match lasted 39 minutes.

All-Indian women’s quarterfinal confirmed

The two results mean Anahat and Tanvi will face one another in the women’s singles quarterfinals. The matchup guarantees India a representative in the semifinal stage, but the competition format means reaching the last four does not automatically secure a medal.

Unlike the previous edition, the squash singles event does not award medals to both losing semifinalists. Instead, the defeated semifinalists will contest a third-fourth classification match for bronze, adding further significance to the later rounds of the draw.

India’s men’s singles players also delivered contrasting victories to reach the quarterfinals. Abhay Singh produced a commanding straight-games win over Sri Lanka’s Ravindu Laksiri, prevailing 11-5, 11-6, 11-0 in 25 minutes. Abhay will next play local favourite Ryunosuke for a place in the semifinals.

Veer Chotrani came through a much longer contest against Malaysia’s Sanjay Jeeva. Veer won 3-2 after a one-hour, nine-minute battle, taking the match 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 15-17, 11-6. He will face Pakistan’s Irfan Muhammad in the quarterfinals.

Mixed doubles pair also reaches last eight

Earlier in the day, veteran Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the mixed doubles quarterfinals by defeating fellow Indians Suraj Chand and Shameena Riaz in an all-Indian last-16 match. The Indian pair, Asian Championships bronze medallists, won in straight games, 11-7, 11-10.

Joshna and Velavan will next face the Philippines pairing of David Pelino and Jemyca Aribado in Friday’s quarterfinal. With four Indian singles players already through to the last eight and the mixed doubles team also still in contention, the day left India with multiple routes forward in the squash programme.