Squash thrives at 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou

A trilling conclusion to the squash competition at the 19th Asian Games saw Malaysia's Eain Yow Ng and Sivasangari Subramaniam claim gold medals in the respective men’s and women’s singles, while Indian duo Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu emerged victorious in the inaugural Asian Games Mixed Squash Doubles.

In a nail-biting women's singles final, Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia narrowly triumphed over Hong Kong, China's Sin Yuk Chan in a gruelling five-game battle that could have swung either way. This victory marked Subramaniam's redemption after her previous loss to Chan earlier this year at the Asian Squash Championships. Significantly, it also underscored her remarkable comeback following a serious traffic accident last year.

Sin Yuk Chan, seeded 3/4, had expressed her strategy of relying on her attacking skills to secure the title, and she lived up to her promise by consistently disrupting Subramaniam's rhythm at the front of the court. After Chan claimed the first game 11-8, Subramaniam fought back, to clinch the second game 15-13. The third game extended into a tie-break, with Chan regaining her lead at 12-10, however Subramaniam levelled the match again by winning the fourth game 11-9 to forcing a decisive fifth game.

In an epic final game showdown, Chan initially took an 8-5 lead, but Subramaniam showed incredible resilience during a frenzied conclusion. The Malaysian managed to close the gap and earned a championship point at 10-9. Although Chan managed to stave off the championship point and force yet another tie-break, she couldn't capitalise on the opportunity and Subramaniam eventually secured Malaysia's fifth consecutive Asian Games women's singles title with a 12-10 victory.

Following Subramaniam's triumph, Malaysia's top-ranked male player, Eain Yow Ng, secured Malaysia's third squash gold of the Asina Games by overcoming India's Saurav Ghosal who had previously defeated Ng in the team event. The Indian took an early lead by winning the first game 11-9 which seemed ominous for Ng, who had fallen behind 1-6 at the outset. However, Ng, seeded No. 1, remained undeterred, rallying to claim the second game 11-9 before dominating with an 11-5 win in the third game. Towards the end of the third game, Ng seemed increasingly comfortable fending off Ghosal's attacks. This trend continued into the fourth game and the 25-year-old Malaysian sealed the victory by claiming the fourth game 11-7.

Despite Ghosal's defeat, his second in a singles final following his 2014 loss to Kuwait's Abdullah Almezayen, the 37-year-old found solace in his men's team gold medal earned earlier in the week and the mixed doubles gold won by his compatriots, Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu, in the historic debut of mixed doubles squash at the Asian Games.

The victory for the Indian pairing, achieved against Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal, prevented a clean sweep by the Malaysians on the final day of competition. This momentous win will be etched in squash history, as mixed doubles squash made its Asian Games debut this year.

Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Pal Sandhu, the top seeds, faced a stern test from the No. 2 seeds in an exhilarating contest that thrilled the crowd with its pace. The Indian duo, like their performance in the quarter-final and semi-final matches, got off to a slow start in the final. Azman's aggressive play and Kamal's court coverage combined effectively, earning the Malaysians three game balls at 10-8. However, Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu displayed remarkable resilience, saving the first two game balls to level the score, and eventually converting the sudden-death game ball at 10-10, securing a crucial 1-0 lead.

The second game saw a back-and-forth battle as the Indian pair once again found themselves under pressure from the Malaysians. Although Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu initially surged to a 6-1 lead, Azman and Kamal staged a remarkable comeback, earning game balls at 10-9. Nevertheless, the Indian duo held their ground, levelling the score before Sandhu placed the ball strategically in the middle of the court, leaving both Azman and Kamal indecisive and leading to jubilant cheers from the Indian bench.

19th Asian Games Squash Championships
Men's Singles Final:
[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (72m)

Women's Singles Final:
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [3/4] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10 (64m)

Mixed Doubles Final:
[1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik & Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [2] Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 11-10, 11-10 (34m)

19th Asian Games Squash Medal Winners
Men’s Team Championship:
Gold: India
Silver: Pakistan
Bronze: Hong Kong, China & Malaysia

Women’s Team Championship:
Gold: Malaysia
Silver: Hong Kong, China
Bronze: India & Republic of Korea

Mixed Doubles Championship:
Gold: Dipika Pallikal Karthik & Harinder Sandhu (IND)
Silver: Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS)
Bronze: Anahat Singh & Abhay Singh (IND) & Ka Yi Lee & Chi Him Wong (HKG)

Men’s Individual Squash Championship:
Gold: Eain Yow Ng (MAS)
Silver: Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Bronze: Abdulla Al Tamimi (QAT) & Henry Leung (HKG)

Women’s Individual Squash Championship
Gold: Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
Silver: Sin Yuk Chan (HKG)
Bronze: Satomi Watanabe (JPN) & Tomato Ho (HKG)

The squash competition at the 19th Asian Games continues to deliver thrilling upsets, historic achievements and intense battles. None more so than semi-finals day when the top two seeds in the Women's Squash Singles met their match in the semi-finals. Sivasangari Subramaniam and Sin Yuk Chan defied expectations and secured their spots in the final, while in the Men's Squash Singles, top seeds Eain Yow Ng and Saurav Ghosal showed their mettle with impressive victories, both advancing to the gold medal match.

The Mixed Doubles category, making its debut at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, witnessed thrilling comebacks by the top-seeded pairs. Indian duo Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu, along with Malaysian second seeds Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal, rallied from a game down in their respective matches to set up an enticing final showdown.

Despite her lower seeding as the 3/4 seed, Sivasangari Subramaniam carried a formidable 9-1 head-to-head record against the Japanese top seed, Satomi Watanabe, into their clash. Subramaniam's resurgence, following a lengthy spell on the sidelines last season, was evident as she dominated the court, consistently pushing Watanabe to the back to secure a commanding 11-8 11-8 11-4 victory. Watanabe, despite the loss, found solace in her historic bronze medal, marking the first individual squash medal for a Japanese player at the Asian Games.

Subramaniam is now poised to face her fellow 3/4 seed, Sin Yuk Chan, in the upcoming final. Chan, a 21-year-old talent, dispatched the No.2 seed Tomato Ho from Hong Kong, China in straight games. Her relentless attacks at the front of the court proved too much for the struggling Ho.

In the semi-finals of the Men’s Squash Singles, the top two seeds secured their places in the final. However, Malaysia's Ng faced a tough challenge from Abdulla Al Tamimi of Qatar. The 3/4 seed narrowly won the first game 12-10, but the No.1 seed bounced back with an 11-7 win in the second game. Al Tamimi, known for his thrilling winners and remarkable retrieval skills, briefly took the lead in the third game at 9-6 but couldn't maintain the momentum. Ng mounted a comeback to win 11-9 and eventually closed-out the match by winning the fourth game 11-5. Similar to Watanabe, Al Tamimi made history for Qatar by securing their first-ever Asian Games squash medal.

Ng will face off against Saurav Ghosal in the final. Ghosal, a former silver medallist in 2014 and three-time bronze medallist, displayed his prowess by dispatching the 5/8 seed Henry Leung of Hong Kong, China, in straight games.

The Mixed Doubles final promises to be a riveting affair with both top-seeded pairs facing challenging semi-final encounters. The Indian duo of Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu, winners of the recent Asian Squash Mixed Doubles Championships earlier in the year, struggled initially against the No.6 seeds Ka Yi Lee and Chi Him Wong from Hong Kong, China. However, they regrouped and found their rhythm, ultimately clinching victory with an 7-11 11-7 11-9 win.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian pair of Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal mounted a remarkable comeback after dropping the first game to India's Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh. The Malaysia pair were eventually able to capitalised their opponent’s errors to win 8-11 11-2 11-9 in 38 minutes.

19th Asian Games Individual Squash Championships
Men’s Semi-Finals:
[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [3/4] Abdulla Al Tamimi (QAT) 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (52m)
[2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [5/8] Henry Leung (HKG) 11-2, 11-1, 11-6 (32m)

Women’s Semi-Finals:
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [1] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
[3/4] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) bt [2] Tomato Ho (HKG) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 (26m)

Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals:
[1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik & Harinder Sandhu (IND) bt [6] Ka Yi Lee & Chi Him Wong (HKG) 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 (39m)
[2] Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt [4] Anahat Singh & Abhay Singh (IND) 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 (38m)

The squash semi-finalists in both in Mixed Doubles and Singles at the 19th Asian Games have been determined following a thrilling day of competition at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre in China.

In the Mixed Doubles squash event, which marks its inaugural appearance at the Asian Games, the top-seeded Indian pair of Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu faced a challenging moment when they had to mount a comeback against the Philippines' Jemyca Aribado and Robert Garcia.

Aribado and Garcia, seeded seventh, won the opening game 11-7 through excellent coordination and teamwork. However, Pallikal Karthik, the reigning Mixed Doubles Squash World Champion, and Harinder Sandhu swiftly regrouped. The Indian duo found their stride and turned the tide to convincing win the subsequent games, 11-5 and 11-4, respectively. Their next challenge awaits in the form of Hong Kong, China's duo Ka Yi Lee and Chi Him Wong, seeded sixth, who secured a 2-0 victory over their compatriots, the fifth-seeded Tsz-Wing Tong & Ming Hong Tang.

The other Mixed Doubles semi-final also boasts Indian representation, as the fourth-seeded Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh navigated a challenging contest against Republic of Korean No.11 seeds Yeongsoo Yang and Dongjin Lee, earning themselves a spot in the semi-finals against Malaysian No.2 seeds Aifa Azman and Syafiq Kamal, who emerged victorious against Republic of Korean No.9 seeds Hwayeong Eum and JaeJin Yoo.

In the squash singles events, Hong Kong, China's Henry Leung displayed resilience as he upset his compatriot and 3/4 seed Tsz Kwan Lau in straight games. The clash between Leung and Lau, who had met on six previous occasions, was evenly matched, but on this day, it was Leung who emerged victorious, securing a tense 12-10 win in the final game.

Leung's next challenge is set to be against the No.2 seed, India's Saurav Ghosal, who has previously clinched Bronze Medals in 2018, 2010, and 2006. Ghosal triumphed over Japan's 5/8 seed Ryunosuke Tsukue in straight games.

The other men's singles semi-final will feature top seed Eain Yow Ng of Malaysia, who recovered from a challenging start to defeat 2014 winner and 9/16 seed Abdullah Almezayen of Kuwait, and Qatari 3/4 seed Abdulla Al Tamimi, who comfortably overcame Malaysia's 5/8 seed Addeen Idrakie.

In the women's singles, the top seed, Satomi Watanabe from Japan, secured her place in the semi-finals, becoming the first Japanese player to achieve this feat. She did so with a strong performance, winning 11-5 11-6 14-12 against India's Tanvi Khanna.

Watanabe's semi-final opponent is the 3/4 seed Sivasangari Subramaniam from Malaysia. Despite her lower seeding, Subramaniam holds a commanding 9-1 head-to-head record against Watanabe, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash.

The other women's semi-final will be an all-Hong Kong, China affair, as the No.2 seed Tomato Ho goes head-to-head against Sin Yuk Chan. Both players secured comfortable victories in their respective matches against Japan's Akari Midorikawa and Malaysia's Aira Azman. This sets the stage for an exciting showdown between the two Hong Kong representatives.

Another captivating day of squash action at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China with a succession of thrilling contests. Abdullah Almezayen, the 2014 Asian Games Squash Champion, summoned his former glory with a gritty performance in the Men's Singles to beat the 5/8 seed Muhammad Asim Khan of Pakistan, while in the women's draw, Mingyeong Heo of the Republic of Korea continued to shine, defeating 2018 Bronze Medallist and 5/8 seed Joshna Chinappa of India.

The Mixed Squash Doubles event, making its debut at this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, resumed its pool stage.

Just days ago, Kuwait's Almezayen had suffered defeat at the hands of Pakistan's Muhammad Asim Khan in the Men's Squash Team event. However, the 35-year-old Kuwaiti sought redemption in the Mane’s Squash Singles in a match characterised by dramatic momentum swings. Almezayen claimed the first game 11-4, only to be resoundingly defeated 11-1 in the second by Khan. The Kuwaiti showed his shot-making skills, securing the third game 11-8, yet found himself tied once more after Khan won the fourth game by the same score. The decisive fifth game saw Almezayen break Khan's resistance, surging from 3-3 to a commanding 9-3 lead before ultimately winning 11-4. Almezayen now faces top seed Eain Yow Ng from Malaysia in the quarter-finals.

In the women's draw, Hangzhou witnessed an upset as Mingyeong Heo dispatched Joshna Chinappa in a closely-fought contest. Despite her debut appearance at the Asian Games, the 27-year-old Heo displayed remarkable composure throughout the 37-minute encounter, minimising errors to win the match 11-4 10-12 11-9 11-8. Heo will now face Malaysia's No.2 seed, Sivasangari Subramaniam, in the next round.

In other matches, the singles draw followed the seedings, with Japan's Satomi Watanabe, the top seed in the women's category, comfortably advancing to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Heo's compatriot, Jihyun Lee.

The Mixed Squash Doubles event provided its fair share of comeback victories, with the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand all rallying from a game down to defeat Sri Lanka, Japan, and Nepal, respectively.

As the action unfolds, Republic of Korea's victory keeps the race for qualification in Pool A wide open. India's top-seeded pairing of Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu lead the pack with two wins, followed closely by Japan and Republic of Korea with one win each, while Pakistan is yet to secure a victory.

In the other pools, Malaysia and Sri Lanka lead Pool B, with Hong Kong, China's two teams leading Pools C and D.

In a remarkable debut of Mixed Doubles Squash at the Asian Games, the underdog Republic of Korea, seeded 11th, displayed an outstanding defensive performance against the formidable No.3 seeds, Malaysia. This historic event unfolded at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, where three stunning all-glass courts set the stage for an unforgettable start to the Mixed Squash Doubles tournament.

The pivotal moment arrived during the second match of the day when Republic of Korea's first team of Yeongsoo Yang and Dongjun Lee, sent shockwaves through the tournament. Despite trailing in the initial game against Malaysia's second team, Rachel Arnold and Ivan Yuen, Yang and Lee demonstrated resilience to win the second game 11-8.

Tension reached its peak in the third game when Arnold and Yuen defied a game ball at 9-10 down, leading to the first-ever sudden death tie-break at the Asian Games. In a riveting final rally, Yang and Lee displayed unwavering determination, executing last-minute recoveries repeatedly. Ultimately, it was Lee who delivered the decisive blow, sending the ball past a disoriented Yuen, whose desperate lunge fell short, igniting cheers from the Republic of Korean bench.

Buoyed by their triumph, Yang and Lee continued their winning streak with a straightforward victory over Nepal's second team, claiming the top spot in Pool C. Despite their earlier setback, Malaysia's Arnold and Yuen found redemption, comfortably defeating Thailand's first team later in the day.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's first team, comprising Mohd Syafiq Kamal and women's team champion Aifa Azman, fared better. Seeded second, they etched their names in squash history as the first players to win an Asian Games Mixed Doubles squash match. They overcame a well-prepared Chinese team of Dongjin Li and Zhitao Zhou in the morning and secured another victory against Sri Lanka in the afternoon.

India made an impressive start to their title bid, with their top-seeded first team, Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu, clinching wins against Philippines' second team and Pakistan's first team. India's second team, represented by No.4 seeds Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh, also secured victories against Republic of Korea's second team and Pakistan's second team.

The squash singles event, commencing with the round of 32, featured 14 matches across both draws, with most of the top 16 seeded players receiving byes. Most matches unfolded according to seeding, with only two contests extending to five games.

In the most fiercely contested match of the day, Kuwait's [9/16] Ammar Al Tamimi rallied from a game down to triumph 3-2 against Republic of Korea's Minwoo Lee. Additionally, Pakistan's [5/8] seed Muhammad Asim Khan orchestrated a comeback, defeating Singapore's Aaron Liang 3-1.

In a noteworthy seeding upset, Republic of Korean junior Joo Young Na swept aside [9/16] seed Marcus Phua of Singapore in straight games. The Asian Games squash competition promises more thrilling encounters as it unfolds.

In an astonishing display of resilience, India and Malaysia emerged victorious in the men's and women's team squash events at the 19th Asian Games, with India securing their second men's title and Malaysia claiming their third women's title.

The men's team final will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most thrilling encounters in the Asian Games. The top-seeded Indian team staged a remarkable comeback against Pakistan, overcoming two championship balls against them and seeking redemption for their earlier pool stage defeat.

Pakistan initially gained the upper hand in the final when their third-string player Nasir Iqbal defeated Mahesh Mangaonkar, a key member of India's 2014 title-winning side, 11-8 11-3 11-2 in just 29 minutes.

Saurav Ghosal, India's top seed and a veteran of six Asian Games, quickly levelled the score with a flawless 3-0 victory over Muhammad Asim Khan, setting the stage for a climactic third match.

The electrifying atmosphere, filled with fervent supporters from both India and Pakistan, set the stage for an epic battle between the second-string players, Abhay Singh and Noor Zaman. Zaman, a formidable 19-year-old player who initially dominated the contest, recovering from a first-game deficit to secure a 2-1 lead.

As the tension reached its peak, Zaman had a chance to seal victory in the fourth game, leading 9-7. However, Singh displayed exceptional determination, rallying to claim four consecutive points to win the game. The fifth game was an equally close affair before Singh eventually claimed the match 11-7 9-11 8-11 11-9 12-10 in 65 minutes.

The women's team final featured defending champions Hong Kong, China facing off against Malaysia, the second seeds and two-time winners. In a tense opening match, third-string player Tsz-Wing Tong of Hong Kong came from behind to defeat Malaysia's Rachel Arnold to provide Hong Kong, China an initial lead.

However, Malaysia's first-string player Sivasangari Subramaniam, who had recently returned to squash after a serious traffic accident in 2022, showed her exceptional skills with a commanding 11-5 11-8 11-6 victory over Tomato Ho to level the score for Malaysia.

The pivotal third match featured Malaysia's second-string player, 21-year-old Aifa Azman, who quickly gained a 2-0 lead. While she came close to clinching victory in three games, Sin Yuk Chan of Hong Kong, China fought back, forcing a fourth game. Azman, determined and focused, secured an early 7-1 lead in the fourth game and despite Chan's best efforts, Azman managed to maintain her advantage to claim an 11-5 11-8 11-13 11-8 victory to claim the gold medal to Malaysia.

The Asian Games squash competitions continue with the Singles and Mixed Doubles events, with the latter making its debut in the Asian Games, starting on the 1st October 1.

19th Asian Games Squash Team Championship 2023, Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Hangzhou, China
Men’s Final:
[1] India 2-1 [4] Pakistan
Mahesh Mangaonkar lost to Nasir Iqbal 8-11, 3-11, 2-11 (29m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Muhammad Asim Khan 11-5, 11-1, 11-3 (30m)
Abhay Singh bt Noor Zaman 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10 (65m)

Men’s Final Standings:
Gold: [2] Malaysia
Silver: [1] Hong Kong, China
Bronze: [3] India & [5] Republic of Korea

Women’s Final:
[2] Malaysia 2-1 [1] Hong Kong, China
Rachel Arnold lost to Tsz-Wing Tong 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11 (57m)
Sivasangari Subramaniam bt Tomato Ho 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (26m)
Aifa Azman bt Sin Yuk Chan 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8 (36m)

Women’s Final Standings:
Gold: [1] India
Silver: [4] Pakistan
Bronze: [3] Hong Kong, China & [2] Malaysia

Pakistan's outstanding performance at the 19th Asian Games continued as they defeated the third-seeded Hong Kong, China to securing their place in the men's team squash final for the first time in 13 years. Pakistan will now face their arch-rivals India in the final after the top-seeded Indian team defeated defending champions Malaysia. In the women's final, the top-seeded Hong Kong, China, and the second-seeded Malaysia teams will compete after defeating India and the Republic of Korea, respectively.

Pakistan entered the Asian Games Men's Team Championship as underdogs, being seeded fourth and not having reached the final since the inaugural championship in 2010. However, after an impressive performance in the pool stage, where they defeated top-seeded India, Pakistan came into the semi-finals rejuvenated.

In the first match, the 19-year-old Noor Zaman displayed exceptional form, securing the lead for Pakistan with a hard-fought 12-10 7-11 11-6 11-8 victory over World No.51 Henry Leung.

Pakistan appeared poised to secure victory with one match to spare as Muhammad Asim Khan initially dominated against Tsz Kwan Lau. However, Lau made a remarkable comeback, winning a gruelling five-set match in 60 minutes.

In the decisive third match, it was evident from the start that Nasir Iqbal, who has been in top form in Hangzhou, would clinch the victory for Pakistan. The 29-year-old controlled proceedings against Ming Hong Tang, securing the win in straight games.

Pakistan will face their fierce rivals, India, in the final, with the top seeds undoubtedly eager to settle the score after a disappointing defeat to Pakistan earlier in the week.

India's Abhay Singh delivered his best squash of the tournament against Malaysia's Addeen Idrakie, giving the top seeds a morale-boosting lead with a 3-1 win. Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal then followed up with a high-intensity 3-1 win over Eain Yow Ng, sending India into the final for the first time since their 2014 title victory.

In the women's squash team championship, the top-seeded and defending champions Hong Kong, China, faced a challenge against the third-seeded India team. Sin Yuk Chan gave the favourites a perfect start by dispatching Tanvi Khanna in just 20 minutes. Despite Tomato Ho taking the first game against Joshna Chinappa, the 37-year-old Chinappa fought back and levelled the tie with a hard-fought 3-2 win.

The outcome of the tie came down to 29-year-old Ka Yi Lee and 15-year-old Anahat Singh. Lee's experience appeared to make the difference as she went 2-0 and 10-2 up. Singh, however, saved eight match balls to force a tiebreak but was unable to push further, with Lee eventually closing out the last game 12-10.

Hong Kong, China, will face their old rivals and two-time winners Malaysia in the final after the second-seeded Malaysian team confidently defeated the fifth-seeded Republic of Korea 2-0 with straight-games victories for Aifa Azman and Sivasangari Subramaniam.

19th Asian Games Squash Team Championship 2023, Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Hangzhou, China
Men’s Semi-Finals:
[4] PAKISTAN bt [3] HONG KONG 2/1  
Noor Zaman bt Henry Leung 12-10, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 (43m)
Muhammad Asim Khan lost to Tsz Kwan Lau 11-8, 12-14, 12-10, 4-11, 2-11 (60m)
Nasir Iqbal bt Tang Ming Hong 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (30m)

[1] INDIA bt [2] MALAYSIA 2/0  
Abhay Singh bt Addeen Idrakie 11-3, 12-10, 9-11, 11-6 (57m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Eain Yow Ng 11-8, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3 (69m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar v Mohd Syafiq Kamal

Women’s Semi-finals:
[1] HONG KONG bt [3] INDIA 2/1  
Chan Sin Yuk bt Tanvi Khanna 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (22m)
Tomato Ho lost to Joshna Chinappa 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11 (47m)
Ka Yi Lee bt Anahat Singh 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 (29m)

[2] MALAYSIA bt [5] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 2/0  
Aifa Azman bt Hwayeong Eum 11-4, 11-1, 11-8 (20m)
Sivasangari Subramaniam bt Jihyun Lee 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (21m)
Rachel Arnold v Yeongsoo Yang

The Republic of Korea demonstrated remarkable resilience as they mounted a comeback against their arch-rivals Japan, securing a thrilling 2-1 victory to clinch the last available semi-final berth in the 19th Asian Games women's team squash championship. They will now join the elite quartet of Malaysia, India, and Hong Kong, China in the semi-finals, setting the stage for an intense showdown.

In the opening encounter, Japan's top-seeded singles player, Satomi Watanabe, displayed her dominance, swiftly dispatching Mingyeong Heo with an emphatic 11-4 11-2 11-2 victory, giving Japan the initial lead. However, Japan's momentum faltered as Korea's Hwayeong Eum responded with authority, securing an 11-7 11-4 11-3 win over Risa Sugimoto to level the contest.

The climactic battle unfolded in an emotionally charged showdown, where 32-year-old Yeongsoo Yang, a veteran of Korea's last semi-final appearance in 2014, held off the spirited 18-year-old Akari Midorikawa. Yang secured a hard-fought 11-5 6-11 12-10, 11-6 victory in a gruelling 51-minute battle, exacting revenge for their previous defeat. Korea, now assured of at least a Bronze Medal, is set to face Malaysia in their quest to reach the final, with Malaysia having convincingly defeated India 3-0 to top Pool B.

Despite their loss, India's three wins from four ties secured them a spot in the semi-finals, where they will clash with Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong, China secured their semi-final berth with an unblemished record of four wins in as many matches.

In the men's event, Malaysia, the No.2 seeds, delivered a morale-boosting performance, prevailing over Hong Kong, China in their final pool match to secure the top spot in Pool B. Eain Yow Ng, Malaysia's top player, exhibited confidence as he dispatched Henry Leung in straight games. However, Ming Hong Tang mounted a comeback to defeat Ivan Yuen 3-2, providing a glimmer of hope for Hong Kong. Nevertheless, Mohammad Syafiq Kamal sealed the deal for Malaysia with a 3-1 victory to ensure their place in the semi-finals.

Malaysia is now set to face India in the semi-finals, with the top-seeded Indian team comfortably defeating Nepal. Meanwhile, the other semi-final will feature Hong Kong, China, as the runners-up from Pool B, and Pakistan, the winners of Pool A, who have maintained their excellent form with a convincing victory over a formidable Kuwait team.

The semi-finals of the Hangzhou Asian Games team squash events are scheduled for tomorrow, and the highly anticipated finals will take place on the 30th September. The Singles and Mixed Doubles events are set to commence on the 1st October, promising more thrilling squash action in the days to come.

In a stunning turn of events at squash competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Pakistan's fourth-seeded men's squash team delivered a remarkable performance, shaking up the competition by defeating top-seeded India. This unexpected victory has added a thrilling twist to the race for a spot in the semi-finals alongside Malaysia and Hong Kong, China.

In the women's team competition, the event favourites Malaysia, India, and Hong Kong, China continued to show their dominance by securing berths in the semi-finals. The remaining spot in the women's semi-finals will be contested by either Japan or the Republic of Korea.

Following today's sequence of matches, which featured the order 2-3-1, the spotlight fell on the shoulders of 19-year-old Noor Zaman, hailing from the Pakistan region of Peshawar. Zaman lived up to the moment, kick-starting Pakistan's campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over India's Abhay Singh.

However, Indian No.1 player Saurav Ghosal, a key part of the 2014 Asian Games championship-winning squash team, wasted no time in restoring parity, delivering a swift 3-game victory over Muhammad Asim Khan.

The decisive match that unfolded was nothing short of frenetic and tense, capturing the imagination of the crowd at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre. Nasir Iqbal, aged 29, displayed remarkable resilience under pressure, ultimately clinching the upset with an 11-6 13-11 9-11 11-8 victory over Mahesh Mangaonkar.

This victory for Pakistan has set the stage for a three-way battle tomorrow to secure the two qualifying positions at the summit of Pool A. The fourth-seeded team, now leading with an immaculate four wins out of four, is poised to take on Kuwait, who are vying for their first semi-final appearance since 2014, having won three of their four ties. Despite their setback, India, with three wins to their name, remains in contention and will be aiming to secure a decisive scoreline against Nepal.

In Pool B, Malaysia and Hong Kong, China, have booked their places in the semi-finals. Malaysia achieved victories over Thailand and Japan, while Hong Kong, China, triumphed over Japan and the Philippines.

In the women's event, Malaysia, India, and Hong Kong, China, have all booked their spots in the semi-finals while maintaining unblemished records. In Pool A, Hong Kong, China, secured a convincing 3-0 victory against the Republic of Korea and then engaged in an entertaining clash with Japan, emerging victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, making it four wins in as many games.

In Pool B, Malaysia and India are set to battle for the top spot in the pool. Both teams comfortably dispatched Macau, China, with India also claiming a 3-0 victory over Nepal.

The final qualifying spot for the women's semi-finals will be contested between Japan and the Republic of Korea in tomorrow's showdown, marking the first tie of the day.

The 19th edition of the Asian Games is being staged in Hangzhou, China from the 26th September to 5th October with an exciting lineup of squash events including singles, doubles and team competitions.

The 2023 Asian Games Squash competition commenced with the opening rounds of Team matches, witnessing the top seeds securing victories in their initial encounters.

In the Men's division, the top three teams in each pool, including India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, and Kuwait, all made an impressive start, notching up two wins each. Similarly, in the Women's Team competition, top-seeded teams from Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, and Japan all began their campaigns with resounding victories.

Competition favourites, India and Hong Kong, China, showed their prowess in China as the inaugural squash events of the 19th Asian Games unfolded at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.

The day marked the commencement of both the men's and women's team competitions, featuring a total of 20 ties, with most teams engaging in two matches.

In the women's Pool A, top-seeded Hong Kong, China displayed dominance, overpowering Mongolia in the morning session and Thailand in the afternoon, without dropping a single game.

In Pool B, the second-seeded Malaysia secured comfortable wins against Nepal and Pakistan, while the third-seeded India also registered a win against Pakistan in their sole tie of the day.

Turning to the men's draw, top-seeded India delivered a commanding performance with a 3-0 victory over Singapore, followed by a similar scoreline triumph over a resilient Qatar side in Pool A.

In Pool B, the second-seeded Malaysia cruised past Philippines and Republic of Korea, while the third-seeded Hong Kong, China, notched wins against Republic of Korea and Thailand.

The highlight of the day was the gripping contest where Kuwait rallied back from a one-match deficit to overcome Singapore in the men's event.

Kuwait, seeded fifth, found themselves in a challenging situation when the ninth-seeded Singapore took the lead after Marcus Phua saved two match balls to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Mohammad Falah in a fifth-game tie-break.

However, Kuwait responded impressively. First, the 2014 Asian Games champion, Abdullah Almezayen, breezed past Samuel Kang in just 27 minutes. Subsequently, Ammar Al Tamimi sealed the deal with an entertaining 11-5, 13-11, 11-7 victory over Aaron Liang.

The singles and mixed doubles events are set to kick off on October 1st, promising even more thrilling squash action at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.