Velavan Senthilkumar kept India’s hopes alive at the Asian Squash Championships 2025 by securing a spot in the quarter-finals with a dominant performance at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Kuching, Malaysia. He faced off against Tomotaka Endo, a Japanese player, and emerged victorious with a 3-0 win in the round of 16.

Senthilkumar, ranked 45th in the men’s singles category, defeated Endo with scores of 11-3, 11-1, 11-4. This victory makes him the sole Indian player remaining in the tournament after he had previously triumphed over Li Haizhen of China in the round of 32.

On the other hand, Suraj Chand, ranked 153rd in the world, was not as fortunate. Despite a strong start with a 3-0 win over Athbi Hamad from the UAE, Chand faced a defeat in the pre-quarterfinals against Ameeshenraj Chandaran of Malaysia, losing 3-1.

The opening day of the championships saw multiple Indian players exit the competition. Pooja Arthi Raghu, Akanksha Salunkhe, Shameena Riaz, Diwarkar Singh, and Rahul Baitha were all eliminated in various rounds.

Raghu, Salunkhe, and Riaz were knocked out in the second round after receiving first-round byes, while Singh and Baitha were ousted in the round of 32. Despite their best efforts, the Indian players faced tough competition and were unable to advance further in the tournament.

Although Anahat Singh is not participating in the singles championship, she is set to compete in the upcoming Asian Doubles Squash Championships scheduled to begin next week.