India Crowned 2025 SDAT Squash World Cup Champions

Hosts India delivered a commanding performance to secure the SDAT Squash World Cup title, sweeping aside top seeds Hong Kong, China, in front of a passionate home crowd at Express Avenue Mall in Chennai. The triumph marked a landmark moment for Indian squash, as the hosts became just the sixth nation to lift a major World Squash team trophy.

The mixed-team event brought together 12 international squads, with India entering finals day determined to banish memories of their semi-final exit at the previous edition in 2023, staged on the same showcourt. This time, there would be no hesitation as the hosts rose emphatically to the occasion.

Veteran campaigner Joshna Chinappa set the tone in the opening match. The 39-year-old Chennai native faced Hong Kong, China’s Ka Yi Lee, who arrived with the higher world ranking. However, Chinappa’s recent resurgence, echoing the form that once carried her into the world’s top ten, proved decisive. After brief resistance from Lee, Chinappa asserted control to clinch a hard-earned 7-3 2-7 7-5 7-1 victory and hand India an early lead.

Momentum firmly with the hosts, men’s first string Abhay Singh produced a ruthless display against Alex Lau. Singh, also a Chennai local, entered the contest unbeaten in their previous meetings and extended that record in emphatic fashion. His relentless attacking play and pinpoint accuracy gave Lau no room to settle, as Singh powered to a dominant 7-1 7-4 7-4 win in just 19 minutes to put India on the brink of the title.

With Hong Kong, China needing a decisive response, the spotlight fell on women’s first string Tomato Ho against 17-year-old Anahat Singh. Far from being overawed, the teenage sensation delivered a performance of remarkable composure and authority. Singh, who first captured global attention at the 2022 Commonwealth Games aged just 14, dismantled Ho with fearless shot-making and sharp movement, sealing a convincing 7-2 7-2 7-5 victory.

The result sparked jubilant celebrations inside the packed mall venue, as India completed a flawless final and etched their name into squash history. It was a performance defined by depth, composure and belief, and a fitting reward for a team determined to convert home advantage into a historic World Cup crown.

The 2025 SDAT Squash World Cup was staged at the Express Avenue Mall, Chennai, India from the 9th to 14th December.

2025 SDAT World Cup, Express Avenue Mall, Chennai, India
Final:
[2] INDIA bt [1] HONG KONG 3/0
Joshna Chinappa bt Ka Yi Lee 7-3, 2-7, 7-5, 7-1 (23m)
Abhay Singh bt Alex Lau 7-1, 7-4, 7-4 (19m)
Anahat Singh bt Tomato Ho 7-2, 7-2, 7-5 (16m)
Velavan Senthilkumar v Henry Leung (match withdrawn)
 
3rd Place: [4] JAPAN & [5] EGYPT

5th Place Play-Off:
[3] MALAYSIA bt [7] SOUTH AFRICA 2/2 (Malaysia win 8-7 on games countback)
Aifa Azman bt Teagan Leigh Russell 7-0, 7-1, 7-4 (13m)
Ameeshenraj Chandaran lost to Dewald van Niekerk 4-7, 1-7, 0-7 (19m)
Aira Azman bt Hayley Ward 3-7, 7-4, 7-1, 7-6 (19m)
Mohammad Syafiq Kamal lost to Damian Groenewald 5-7, 7-3, 7-6, 4-7, 5-7 (32m)

7th Place Play-Off:
[9] SWITZERLAND bt [6] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Stella Kaufmann bt Madison Lyon 7-5, 1-7, 7-1, 6-7, 7-6 (24m)
Louai Hafez bt Dylan Molinaro 7-3, 7-3, 7-1 (19m)
Celine Walser v Jessica van der Walt (match withdrawn)
Robin Gadola bye

9th - 12th Place Play-Offs (Pool):
[10] REPUBLIC OF KOREA bt [12] IRAN 3/1
Chaewon Song bt Fatemeh Falahati Marvast 7-4, 7-0, 7-6 (15m)
Jeongmin Ryu bt Sepehr Etemadpoor 7-4, 7-4, 0-7, 7-5 (25m)
Hwayeong Eum lost to Fereshteh Eghtedari 6-7, 4-7, 5-7 (16m)
Youngjo Ko bt Pouya Shafiefard 7-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-3 (28m)

[8] BRAZIL drew with [11] POLAND 2/2
Diego Gobbi bt Jan Samborski 7-0, 7-1, 7-6 (20m)
Laura Silva lost to Karina Tyma 3-7, 4-7, 7-0, 0-7 (20m)
Pedro Mometto bt Kajetan Lipski 7-5, 7-2, 7-6 (27m)

[10] REPUBLIC OF KOREA bt [11] POLAND 3/1
Youngjo Ko bt Kajetan Lipski 7-4, 6-7, 7-5, 7-3 (21m)
Hwayeong Eum bt Karina Tyma 7-5, 7-6, 1-7, 7-4 (25m)
Jeongmin Ryu bt Jan Samborski 7-3, 7-6, 2-7, 7-4 (25m)
Chaewon Song lost to Sofi Zrazhevska 7-6, 5-7, 2-7, 6-7 (25m)

[12] IRAN drew with [8] BRAZIL 2/2  
Pouya Shafiefard lost to Pedro Mometto 5-7, 7-4, 2-7, 7-6, 3-7
Fereshteh Eghtedari bt Laura Silva 3-7, 5-7, 7-5, 7-3, 7-1 (24m)
Sepehr Etemadpoor lost to Diego Gobbi 4-7, 2-7, 2-7 (11m)
Fatemeh Falahati Marvast bye

[11] POLAND bt [12] IRAN 3/1
Sofi Zrazhevska bt Fatemeh Falahati Marvast 3-7, 7-4, 6-7, 7-3, 7-2 (20m)
Jan Samborski bt Sepehr Etemadpoor 7-4, 7-4, 7-0 (15m)
Karina Tyma bt Fereshteh Eghtedari 6-7, 7-6, 7-2, 7-3 (24m)
Kajetan Lipski lost to Pouya Shafiefard 5-7, 7-1, 7-4, 2-7, 4-7 (24m)

[8] BRAZIL bt [10] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 3/1
Diego Gobbi bt Jeongmin Ryu 5-7, 7-2, 7-5, 7-4 (24m)
Laura Silva bt Hwayeong Eum 2-7, 7-4, 5-7, 7-6, 7-4 (20m)
Pedro Mometto bt Youngjo Ko    7-1, 7-4, 7-3 (20m)
Final positions: 1 Republic of Korea, 2 Brazil, 3 Poland, 4 Iran

Semi-Finals:
[1] HONG KONG v [4] JAPAN
Henry Leung v Tomotaka Endo
Tomato Ho v Satomi Watanabe
Alex Lau v Ryunosuke Tsukue
Ka Yi Lee v Akari Midorikawa

[2] INDIA v [5] EGYPT
Velavan Senthilkumar v Ibrahim Elkabbani
Anahat Singh v Nour Heikal
Abhay Singh v Adam Hawal
Joshna Chinappa v Nardine Garas

Quarter-Finals:
[1] HONG KONG bt [9] SWITZERLAND 3/0
Ka Yi Lee bt Stella Kaufmann 7-1, 7-4, 7-4 (15m)
Alex Lau bt Louai Hafez 7-3, 7-6, 7-5 (20m)
Tomato Ho bt Celine Walser 7-2, 7-3, 7-4 (15m)
Henry Leung v Robin Gadola

[4] JAPAN bt [3] MALAYSIA 2/2 (Japan win 9-8 on games countback)
Akari Midorikawa lost to Aifa Azman 1-7, 5-7, 7-5, 7-5, 4-7
Ryunosuke Tsukue bt Ameeshenraj Chandaran 7-3, 7-6, 4-7, 2-7, 7-4 (40m)
Satomi Watanabe bt Aira Azman 7-2, 7-4, 7-4 (15m)
Tomotaka Endo lost to Mohammad Syafiq Kamal 6-7, 4-7, 7-3, 3-7 (29m)

[5] EGYPT bt [6] AUSTRALIA 3/0
Nardine Garas bt Madison Lyon 7-3, 7-0, 7-2 (10m)
Adam Hawal bt Joseph White 7-4, 7-4, 7-3 (16m)
Nour Heikal bt Jessica van der Walt 7-4, 7-1, 7-3 (17m)
Ibrahim Elkabbani v Dylan Molinaro

[2] INDIA bt [7] SOUTH AFRICA 3/0
Joshna Chinappa bt Teagan Leigh Russell 7-4, 7-4, 7-2 (13m)
Abhay Singh bt Dewald van Niekerk 7-1, 7-6, 7-1 (41m)
Anahat Singh bt Hayley Ward    7-3, 7-3, 7-4 (15m)
Velavan Senthilkumar v Damian Groenewald

Qualifying Rounds - Pool A:
[1] HONG KONG bt [10] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 4/0  
Henry Leung bt Youngjo Ko 7-3, 3-7, 7-6, 7-2 (26m)
Tomato Ho bt Hwayeong Eum 7-5, 7-6, 7-5 (17m)
Alex Lau bt Jeongmin Ryu 7-2, 7-5, 7-2 (18m)
Ka Yi Lee bt Chaewon Song 7-3, 5-7, 7-5, 7-2 (21m)

[7] SOUTH AFRICA bt [10] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 3/1  
Teagan Leigh Russell lost to Chaewon Song 2-7, 4-7, 7-5, 0-7 (20m)
Dewald van Niekerk bt Jeongmin Ryu 7-2, 7-5, 7-5 (26m)
Hayley Ward bt Hwayeong Eum 7-4, 7-6, 7-4 (18m)
Damian Groenewald bt Youngjo Ko 7-3, 7-4, 7-1 (21m)

[1] HONG KONG drew with [7] SOUTH AFRICA 2/2  
Henry Leung lost to Damian Groenewald 1-7, 5-7, 2-7 (19m)
Tomato Ho bt Hayley Ward 7-2, 7-4, 6-7, 7-1 (22m)
Alex Lau lost to Dewald van Niekerk 3-7, 7-3, 6-7, 7-3, 6-7 (45m)
Ka Yi Lee bt Teagan Leigh Russell 7-1, 7-2, 7-1 (11m)

Final Positions: 1 Hong Kong, 2 South Africa, 3 Republic of Korea

Qualifying Rounds - Pool B:
[2] INDIA bt [9] SWITZERLAND 4/0  
Velavan Senthilkumar bt Robin Gadola 7-6, 7-6, 7-5 (27m)
Anahat Singh bt Celine Walser 7-1, 7-4, 7-2 (13m)
Abhay Singh bt Louai Hafez 7-0, 7-5, 7-3 (33m)
Joshna Chinappa bt Stella Kaufmann 7-1, 5-7, 7-2, 7-0 (18m)

[9] SWITZERLAND drew with [8] BRAZIL 2/2  
Stella Kaufmann bye
Louai Hafez lost to Diego Gobbi 7-2, 2-7, 5-7, 4-7 (38m)
Celine Walser bt Laura Silva 7-2, 7-5, 7-1 (13m)
Robin Gadola lost to Pedro Mometto 6-7, 3-7, 6-7 (26m)

[2] INDIA bt [8] BRAZIL 4/0  
Velavan Senthilkumar bt Pedro Mometto 7-5, 7-2, 7-2 (21m)
Anahat Singh bt Laura Silva 7-4, 7-0, 7-2 (14m)
Abhay Singh bt Diego Gobbi 7-3, 7-1, 7-1 (19m)
Joshna Chinappa bye

Final Positions: 1 India, 2 Brazil, 3 Switzerland

Qualifying Rounds - Pool C:
[6] AUSTRALIA bt [11] POLAND 3/1  
Madison Lyon lost to Sofi Zrazhevska w/o
Joseph White bt Jan Samborski 7-4, 7-3, 7-4 (22m)
Jessica van der Walt bt Karina Tyma 7-4, 4-7, 7-1, 7-5 (23m)
Dylan Molinaro bt Kajetan Lipski 7-0, 7-6, 7-3 (18m)

[3] MALAYSIA bt [11] POLAND 4/0  
Aifa Azman bt Sofi Zrazhevska 7-4, 7-2, 7-1 (14m)
Ameeshenraj Chandaran bt Jan Samborski 7-1, 7-5, 7-1 (22m)
Aira Azman bt Karina Tyma 7-4, 7-5, 7-4 (18m)
Mohammad Syafiq Kamal bt Kajetan Lipski 7-5, 7-3, 7-2 (20m)

[3] MALAYSIA bt [6] AUSTRALIA 3/1
Mohammad Syafiq Kamal bt Dylan Molinaro 7-4, 6-7, 7-6, 7-4 (29m)
Aira Azman bt Jessica van der Walt 7-2, 7-4, 7-3 (15m)
Ameeshenraj Chandaran lost to Joseph White 5-7, 5-7, 7-3, 4-7 (36m)
Aifa Azman bt Madison Lyon 7-0, 7-0, 7-0 (10m)

Final Positions: 1 Malaysia, 2 Australia, 3 Poland

Qualifying Rounds - Pool D:
[4] JAPAN bt [12] IRAN 4/0  
Tomotaka Endo bt Pouya Shafiefard 7-5, 7-1, 7-0 (16m)
Satomi Watanabe bt Fereshteh Eghtedari 7-4, 3-7, 3-7, 7-4, 7-1 (28m)
Ryunosuke Tsukue bt Sepehr Etemadpoor 7-2, 7-2, 7-0 (15m)
Akari Midorikawa bt Fatemeh Falahati Marvast 4-7, 7-3, 7-3, 7-2 (19m)

[5] EGYPT bt [12] IRAN 4/0  
Nardine Garas bt Fatemeh Falahati Marvast 7-4, 7-1, 7-1 (12m)
Adam Hawal bt Sepehr Etemadpoor 7-2, 7-2, 7-0 (13m)
Nour Heikal bt Fereshteh Eghtedari 7-6, 7-4, 7-2 (17m)
Ibrahim Elkabbani bt Pouya Shafiefard 7-1, 7-4, 7-3 (24m)

[5] EGYPT bt [4] JAPAN 3/1  
Ibrahim Elkabbani bt Tomotaka Endo 7-4, 7-3, 7-2 (20m)
Nour Heikal lost to Satomi Watanabe 3-7, 7-2, 7-5, 6-7, 1-7 (27m)
Adam Hawal bt Ryunosuke Tsukue 7-1, 7-4, 7-2 (16m)
Nardine Garas bt Akari Midorikawa 7-5, 7-5, 7-4 (16m)

Final Positions: 1 Egypt, 2 Japan, 3 Iran

The 2025 SDAT Squash World Cup will be staged at the Express Avenue Mall, Chennai, India from the 9th to 14th December.

UNSQUASHABLE will be represented at the 2025 SDAT Squash World Cup by Diego Gobbi