Asian Games: India settle for squash women’s team bronze after Hong Kong semifinal loss

India’s women’s squash team secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games after losing 2-1 to Hong Kong in the semifinal at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena on Wednesday.

Anahat Singh opened the tie for India but suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat against Chan Sin Yuk. Anahat won the first two games 11-9, 11-8 before Chan fought back to take the next three 11-6, 13-11, 12-10.

Tanvi Khanna then kept India’s campaign alive with a 3-1 victory over world No. 40 Lee Ka Yi. After losing the opening game 4-11, Tanvi responded strongly to win the next three 13-11, 11-9, 13-11 and level the tie at 1-1.

Joshna Chinappa faced Ho Tze Lok in the deciding match but went down 3-0 (4-11, 7-11, 9-11), giving Hong Kong the win and India the bronze medal.

The result earned Anahat her second medal at the ongoing Games after she won silver in the women’s singles event. She had several match points during her semifinal against Chan but was unable to convert them.

The bronze also continued the run of success for Joshna, Tanvi and Anahat, who were part of India’s women’s team that won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. Anahat had also won bronze in both the women’s team and mixed team events at the previous edition.

The women’s team medal is India’s fourth in squash at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Earlier, Anahat and Abhay Singh had won silver medals in the women’s and men’s singles events respectively, while the mixed doubles pairing of Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar secured bronze.

Anahat lost the women’s singles final to Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-7), while Abhay was beaten 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-5) by Malaysia’s Ng Eain Yow in the men’s final.

Abhay became only the second Indian to win an Asian Games men’s singles silver after Saurav Ghosal, who reached the final at Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2023.

India had won five squash medals at Hangzhou 2023 — two gold, one silver and two bronze. The men’s team and mixed doubles won gold, while Ghosal took silver in men’s singles and the women’s team and mixed team claimed bronze.