Youngster Anahat Singh, the top-ranked Indian woman and the Asian Games bronze medallist, will grace the 79th Western India Slam Squash Championship, which started in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The competition will draw 725 players from 12 countries, with an overall prize money of $9000 to win for both men and women.
On the first day of the tournament boys and girls in junior categories competed in the qualification round, with the tournament being played at the Cricket Club of India (CCI).
Besides Anahat, the other top Indian players competing in the event are Amneesh Chandran (PSA rank 103), who is seeded No 2, and Veer Chotrani (India rank No 4, WR No 85), who won five PSA Tour Titles and is the country’s youngest seeded player.
International players like Czech Republic’s Viktor Byrtus (PSA rank 78), and Egypt’s Nour Khafagy (PSA rank No 85) will also compete at the tournament.
Akansha Salunkhe, India's No. 2, will also compete.
“The competitors range from under-11 juniors to veterans over 65, with categories for men, women, and professional coaches,” the organisers informed.
Qualification round results:
Boys qualification – U-11: Aarush Sanghvi (9/16) bt Aryan Doshi 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 ; Agastya Uppal (5/8) bt Aarav Patodia 11-5 11-5 11-4. U-13: Mohan Shingwa bt Rahul Niraguda 11-4 11-6 9-11 5-11 11-2 ; Shourya Rakshit (9/16) bt Neev Shah 11-0 11-5 11-2. U-15: Arjun Parasrampuri bt Mitul Sharma 6-11 11-5 8-11 11-7 11-8 ; Anay Nayar (9/16) bt Mayur Niraguda 11-5 8-11 11-8 3-11 12-10. U-17: Raghav Vashishtha (1) bt Dushyant Dubey 11-4 11-4 11-1 ; Naithik Chand bt Aarav Shah (9/16) 14-16 11-5 11-9 11-5.
Girls qualification – U-11: Naina Verma (9/16) bt Krisha Sharma 8-11 11-8 11-4 11-3 ; Sanavi Tidke (1) bt Disha Thakur 11-0 11-2 11-2. U-13: Yogita Pardhi (9/16) bt Vihaa Makhecha 11-3 13-11 11-7. U-15: Aaravi Raina (9/16) bt Vinisha Shetty 11-4 11-5 11-6; Vedanshi Gupta (5/8) bt Samara Munshi 11-4 11-5 11-5.
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