India produced a memorable day in squash at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Nagoya, with Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh reaching the women’s and men’s singles finals. The results gave India two opportunities to win squash gold medals and strengthened the country’s prospects of securing direct qualification places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Anahat produced the biggest comeback of the day in the women’s singles semifinal. The 18 year old Indian defeated Japan’s world No. 6 Satomi Watanabe in a five game contest. Anahat eventually won 9 11, 11 13, 12 10, 11 6, 11 3 after recovering from two games down.
The Indian player was under considerable pressure after losing the first two games. Watanabe, playing in front of the home crowd, used changes of pace and sharp angles to make the contest difficult for Anahat. The Japanese player appeared to be in control when she moved close to completing the match.
Anahat, however, changed the momentum in the third game. She was trailing 8 10 when she saved two match points and eventually won the game 12 10. That comeback gave the Indian player renewed confidence and changed the direction of the semifinal.
Anahat then controlled the fourth game and won it 11 6 to level the match. The contest briefly stopped after the Indian player collided with Watanabe while attempting to retrieve the ball. Anahat received medical attention before returning to the court and continuing the match.
The deciding game saw Anahat take control early. She attacked with greater confidence and prevented Watanabe from rebuilding the momentum she had established earlier. Anahat closed out the deciding game 11 3 and completed a 3 2 victory.
The result puts Anahat into the women’s singles gold medal match. It also gives her an opportunity to achieve a major milestone in her career, as the winner of the women’s singles event will be eligible for direct qualification to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, subject to the applicable qualification criteria. Squash will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games.
Abhay Singh followed Anahat into the singles finals with a convincing performance in the men’s semifinal. The Indian defeated Pakistan’s Muhammad Irfan 11 3, 12 10, 11 6 in a match that lasted 35 minutes.
Abhay started strongly and established a 6 2 advantage in the opening game. He maintained control and eventually won the game 11 3. Irfan offered stronger resistance in the second game, but Abhay remained composed during the important points and secured it 12 10.
The third game again belonged to Abhay. He continued to control the rallies and closed out the contest 11 6, completing a straight games victory and booking his place in the men’s singles final.
Abhay now has an opportunity to win the Asian Games men’s singles gold medal and potentially secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Like the women’s singles champion, the men’s singles winner at the Asian Games will receive an Olympic quota place subject to the qualification regulations.
India also secured a bronze medal in the mixed doubles competition through Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar. The Indian pair reached the semifinal stage before losing to Hong Kong’s Tang Ming Hong and Lee Ka Yi. Their semifinal defeat meant they finished with the bronze medal.
The medal is particularly significant for Joshna Chinappa. The 40 year old is competing at her seventh Asian Games and has now collected her sixth medal at the continental event. Her previous Asian Games medals included two silver and three bronze medals.
Joshna’s achievement also marks an important milestone in Indian squash. She has competed at every Asian Games since the 2002 Busan edition and has now surpassed the previous Indian record for Asian Games appearances in squash held by Saurav Ghosal, who competed at six editions.
India had already guaranteed three squash medals before the singles semifinals were completed. Joshna and Velavan had secured their mixed doubles medal position, while Anahat and Abhay had entered the last four in their respective singles events. The semifinal victories subsequently turned the two singles medal opportunities into places in the gold medal matches.
Anahat’s route to the final has been particularly notable. In the quarterfinal, she defeated fellow Indian Tanvi Khanna 11 2, 11 5, 11 3. That victory took her into the semifinal, where she faced a significantly tougher challenge against Watanabe. The Indian player ultimately showed resilience to overturn the two game deficit and reach the final.
Abhay also entered the semifinals after defeating Japan’s Ryonosuke Tsukue 11 4, 11 3, 11 6 in the quarterfinal. He then faced Pakistan’s Irfan Muhammad in the last four after Irfan had defeated India’s Veer Chotrani in the quarterfinal stage.
The significance of the singles finals extends beyond the Asian Games medal tally. Squash is preparing to make its first appearance at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. The Asian Games singles events therefore provide a major qualification opportunity for players competing for the gold medal.
According to the qualification framework reported for the Asian Games, the men’s and women’s singles champions will secure direct Olympic qualification places, provided they meet the relevant eligibility and ranking requirements at the qualification cut off. This means Anahat and Abhay are each one victory away from both an Asian Games gold medal and the possibility of becoming India’s first squash players to qualify directly for the Olympic Games through this route.
The achievement is also significant for Indian squash because the country has traditionally performed well in the sport at the Asian Games. India won five squash medals at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, including gold medals in the men’s team event and mixed doubles. Indian players have accumulated multiple medals across previous editions of the continental competition.
The performances of Anahat and Abhay therefore provide India with two opportunities to add to its squash medal tally. Both players have reached the final after successfully negotiating challenging knockout matches, while Joshna and Velavan have already added a bronze medal to the Indian contingent’s total.
For Anahat, the victory over Watanabe was particularly important because she had previously lost to the Japanese player in another five game contest earlier in the year. Her ability to recover after losing the opening two games in the Asian Games semifinal made the victory one of the notable performances of India’s squash campaign.
For Abhay, the straight games victory over Irfan demonstrated his control throughout the semifinal. After taking the opening game comfortably, he handled the pressure of the closely contested second game before finishing the match in the third.
India will now look ahead to the squash singles finals, where Anahat and Abhay will compete for gold. The results of those matches will determine whether India adds two more gold medals to its squash tally and whether the two Indian players meet the requirements for direct qualification to the Los Angeles Olympics.
The 2026 Asian Games are being held in Aichi Nagoya, Japan, with squash competitions taking place at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena. The squash programme includes men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s team events and mixed doubles.
The Indian contingent has therefore reached an important stage in its squash campaign. With Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh in the singles finals and Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar already assured of bronze, India has secured three squash medals and remains in contention for two more gold medals.
The finals will also carry added significance because of the opportunity for direct Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification. The outcome will depend on the final matches and the applicable eligibility conditions, but India has already established a strong position in the squash competition with two players reaching the gold medal matches.
