Squash
Squash World Cup: India starts strong with 4-0 victory over Hong Kong
Indian squash team got off to a winning start in the Squash world cup after defeating Hong Kong 4-0.
Second-seeded in the tournament, the Indian squash team began their campaign on Tuesday with a resounding 4-0 victory over Hong Kong in a Pool B match held in Chennai of the SDAT WSF Squash World Cup.
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, and 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 seed, 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.
Results:
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).
