Asian Games 2023 squash: Anahat Singh-Abhay Singh win mixed doubles bronze medal; Saurav Ghosal enters singles final

The Indian duo of Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh won the bronze medal in the Asian Games 2023 squash tournament in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday.

While the pair settled for the bronze, veteran Dipika Pallikal and partner Harinder Pal Sandhu advanced to the final of the mixed doubles event. Later, Saurav Ghosal too made the final of the squash tournament in the men’s singles event. This effectively seals two more medals for Indian squash players in Hangzhou.

Earlier in the day, the mixed doubles pair of Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh lost 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 to Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia in the second semi-final to settle for the bronze.

At just 15 years, Anahat Singh became one of India's youngest medal winners at the Asian Games.

"I am so proud of my partner," Abhay Singh said. "Getting to do this at 15, it's just hats off to her, she's absolutely lifted me this week.

"When people look at a 15-year-old girl, they think 'oh, she needs to gain some experience'. Absolutely not. She's such a fighter," Abhay added. "She's lifted me all week."

While Anahat and Abhay fell in the semi-finals, the duo of Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Sandhu made the gold medal match of the mixed doubles. Pallikal-Sandhu bounced back from a game down to win their semi-finals against Lee Ka Yi and Wong Chi Him of Hong Kong China 2-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-9).

Another Indian squash veteran, Saurav Ghosal entered the finals. The 37-year-old made the men’s singles gold medal match after dominating the semi-finals against Henry Leung of Hong Kong China to win 3-0 (11-2, 11-1, 11-6).

Saurav Ghosal will play Eain Yow Ng of Malaysia in the men’s singles final on Thursday.

India earlier won a gold medal in the men’s team and a bronze in the women’s team events in Hangzhou.

In all, India have won two gold, three silver and 11 bronze medals in squash at the Asian Games.