Velavan Senthilkumar reaches PSA ACE Malaysia Squash Cup quarter-finals

UNSQUASHABLE player Velavan Senthilkumar of India was denied a semi-final place at the ACE Malaysia Squash Cup in Kuala Lumpur by compatriot Abhay Singh who eventually triumphed 12-14 11-5 12-10 11-8 in an epic 71-minute contest to secure a maiden appearance in a PSA World Squash Tour Bronze-level semi-final.

In the most exciting matches on a blockbuster day of quarter-final action, Abhay Singh, the World No.58, overcame a spirited challenge from the unseeded Velavan Senthilkumar. Singh, who earlier stunned No.4 seed Abdulla Al-Tamimi in the round of 16, carried his momentum into the all-Indian clash, which delivered one of the most gripping matches of the event.

The match began with an epic 23-minute opening game, as Velavan edged a dramatic tie-break 14-12 to take an early lead. Both players pushed each other to their physical limits, with neither willing to concede an inch in a fiercely contested battle.

Singh responded with authority in the second game, dominating proceedings to win 11-5 and level the score at 1-1. His aggressive approach and precision at the front of the court began to pay dividends, as his rival struggled to match his pace and the third game proved pivotal. Senthilkumar held the upper hand for much of the game, but as fatigue began to take its toll, Singh shifted gears. Employing sharp shots and intelligent movement, he clawed back the deficit and clinched the game 12-10, seizing the lead for the first time in the match.

Building on his newfound advantage, Singh maintained his composure in the fourth game, closing out the contest 11-8.

In the 2nd round of the PSA World Squash Tour Copper event, Velavan delivered a stunning upset over 6th seed Farkas Balazs with a 35-minute 11-6 11-6 11-7 victory over the Hungarian No.1 to advance to the quarter-finals of the ACE Malaysia Squash Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Velavan entered the 2nd round match with momentum, having already secured a confident opening-round victory over Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran. From the start of his encounter with Farkas Balazs, the Indian No.1 maintained control against his higher-seeded opponent, displaying exceptional court coverage to consistently counter the aggressive volleys of the Hungarian No.1.

The precision and pace of Velavan left Balazs on the back foot and allowed the Indian to close-out an impressive victory to ensure his place in the quarter-finals where he will face the winner of fourth seed Abdulla Al-Tamimi and fellow Indian Abhay Singh.

In his opening match, Velavan defeated Wild Card Ameeshenraj Chandaran 11-3 11-6 11-1 in 35-minutes to progress to the 2nd round of the ACE Malaysia Squash Cup in Kuala Lumpur where he will face 6th seed Farkas Balazs of Hungary.

For full results from the 2024 PSA ACE Malaysia Squash Cup, visit: InternationalSquashMagazine