News

We are very delighted to announce the recipients of the ASF Awards 2024 proposed by the Selection Panel and endorsed by the Management Committee as below:

ASF Coaches Awards 2024
ASF Coach of the Year:
- Mr. Ajaz Azmat (Malaysia)
ASF Junior Coach of the Year:
- Mr. Dick Leung (Hong Kong, China)
ASF Development Coach of the Year:
- Ms. Koh Yoke Keet (Singapore)
ASF Coaches Certificate of Recognition:
- Mr. Afiq Haiqal Shukor (Malaysia)
- Ms. Elise Ng (Hong Kong, China)
- Ms. Joey Chan (Hong Kong, China)
- Mr. Lim Kai Zhen (Malaysia)
- Mr. Max Lee (Hong Kong, China)
- Mr. Ryan Neville Pasqual (Malaysia)
- Ms. Wee Wern Low (Philippines)

ASF Performance Awards 2024
DATO ALEX LEE Award - Men:
- Mr. Ng Eain Yow (Malaysia)
DATO ALEX LEE Award - Women:
- Ms. Satomi Watanabe (Japan)
HASSAN MUSA Award - Boy:
- Mr. Hamza Khan (Pakistan)
HASSAN MUSA Award - Girl:
- Ms. Anahat Singh (India)
The ASF Award - Men's Team:
- Malaysia Men's Team in the 22nd Asian Team Championships
The ASF Award - Women's Team:
- Malaysia Women's Team in the 22nd Asian Team Championships & WSF World Team Championships 2024
The ASF Development Award:
- Hong Kong, China Men’s Team in the 22nd Asian Team Championships & WSF World Team Championships 2024

Congratulations to all the award winners and special thanks to the Selection Panel. The awards will be presented at the forthcoming Asian Championships (Date and Venue: TBC).

Dear Member Nations,

With squash making its debut at AIMAG, we firmly believe that the new platform will provide a unique opportunity for top squash players across Asia to showcase their talent and compete at the highest level. Additionally, this milestone will further promote our sport, attracting more individuals to participate in and support squash. 

Stay tuned for more details about the Games, which would be announced later this year. We look forward to welcome your athletes to this historic edition of AIMAG for Squash!

In a remarkable display of talent and teamwork, the Korean boys’ team has made history by clinching their first-ever team title at the “22nd South China Group Asian Junior Team Championship 2025” held in Hong Kong last Sunday. This victory marks a significant milestone for Korean squash and sets a new standard for future generations.

In the girls’ division, Team Hong Kong, China has reignited its legacy by securing the championship after a 14-year hiatus, triumphing over Malaysia, who had dominated the finals in the last five editions. This win is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the athletes and the support of their coaching team.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to silver medalists boy’s and girl’s teams from Malaysia and Co-third India boys & girls team, Singapore’s girls, and Pakistan’s boys, for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament.

We also express our gratitude to all 15 participating countries/ regions including China,  Hong Kong, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macau, China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan,  Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Thailand for their commitment to the sport and for showcasing their skills on this prestigious platform. A special thanks goes to the Squash Association of Hong Kong, China, for hosting this remarkable event and ensuring its success.

The future of squash looks bright, and we look forward to seeing these talented athletes continue to shine on the international stage.

Full results can be found here: www.hksquash-majorevents.com/en

The 45^th Annual General Meeting of the Asian Squash Federation was successfully concluded last Sunday in Hong Kong. In the election of office bearers, we celebrate the leadership and vision of our newly elected president, Mr. Duncan Chiu from Hong Kong, China, poised to elevate our beloved sport across the continent.

“UNITE, ELEVATE, EXCEL IN SQUASH. Our goal is to elevate squash in Asia by creating an inclusive and innovative community that nurtures talent and inspires future generations. We will prioritize junior participation, coach and referee development, and international promotion, including advocating for squash’s inclusion in the Olympic and Asian Games. Strengthening partnerships and leveraging technology to boost engagement and accessibility will ensure squash remains vibrant and competitive.” New President said after being newly elected at the 45th ASF AGM.

Furthermore, we extend our sincere gratitude to our former President Mr. David Mui, MH JP for his tremendous contribution to our Asian squash family in the past twelve years and congratulate him to be appointed as the Emeritus President.

Moreover, we congratulate to the two newly elected Vice Presidents Mr. Adel Jassim AlGhareeb from Kuwait and Mr. Ryun-Hoe KOO from Korea. Also, we would like to thank you Mr. Cyrus Poncha to continue his service as Vice President and extend our great appreciation to Mr. Fayez Abdullah S. Al-Mutairi from Kuwait and Ms. Heo Tae-Sook from Korea for their support as Vice Presidents in the past years.

The new Executive Committee (2025-2029):

President:                  Mr. Duncan Chiu (Hong Kong, China)

Secretary General:     Mr. John Wong (Hong Kong, China)

Honorary Treasurer:   Mr. Cedric Tyen (Hong Kong, China)

The new Management Committee (2025-2029):

 President:                  Mr. Duncan Chiu (Hong Kong, China)

Vice Presidents:           Mr. Cyrus Poncha (India), Mr. Adel Jassim AlGhareeb (Kuwait), Mr. Ryun-Hoe KOO (Korea)

Secretary General:     Mr. John Wong (Hong Kong, China)

Honorary Treasurer:   Mr. Cedric Tyen (Hong Kong, China)

We are confident that under the leadership of Mr. Chiu, the Asian Squash Federation will continue to excel and achieve significant milestones within the squash community.

The 2024 Asian Squash Doubles Championships concluded yesterday in Johor, Malaysia, with impressive performances from teams representing India and the host nation.

In the Men's Doubles event, the Indian team emerged victorious, claiming the championship title. The Indian duo Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar put on a strong display of skill and teamwork to defeat their opponents in the final.

The Women's Doubles title was won by the Malaysian Azman sisters, thrilling the home crowd with their triumph. This sibling duo Aifa and Aira showcased the depth of talent in Malaysian squash.

The Mixed Doubles event was also won by the Indian team of Joshana Chinappa and Abhay Singh, who outmatched their competitors to secure the championship. This victory for India added to their overall success at the tournament.

The Asian Squash Doubles Championships is a prestigious regional event that brings together the top squash players from across Asia. This year's edition in Johor served as important preparation for the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games, where squash will once again feature prominently.

Men's Doubles Championship

Gold medalists - Abhay Singh & Velavan Senthilkumar (IND)

Silver medalists - Ong Sai Hung & Syafiq Kamal (MAS)

Co- Bronze medalists - Lau Tsz Kwan & Chung Yat Long (HKG) / Tomotaka Endo & Naoki Hayashi (JPN)

Women's Doubles Championship

Gold medalists - Aifa Azman & Aira Azman (MAS)

Silver medalists - Ainna Amani & Chan Yiwen (MAS)

Co- Bronze medalists - Ho Tze Lok & Fung Ching Hei (HKG) / Tse Yee Lam Toby & Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG)

Mixed Doubles Championship

Gold medalists - Joshana Chinappa & Abhay Singh (IND)

Silver medalists - Tong Tsz Wing & Tang Ming Hong (HKG)

Co- Bronze medalists - Cheng Nga Ching & Lai Cheuk Nam Matthew (HKG) / Ainaa Amani & Addeen Idrakie (MAS)

The 2024 Asian Squash Doubles Championships kick off today in Johor, Malaysia. The championships will run for 4 days, from July 4-7.

A total of 33 teams from 7 countries are participating in the event, including 9 men's doubles teams, 9 women's doubles teams, and 15 mixed doubles teams.

"We are excited to have the top squash players from across Asia for this prestigious tournament," said Mr. David Mui, MH JP, President of the Asian Squash Federation. "The level of competition is sure to be extremely high as the athletes compete for the Asian Doubles titles. We wish all the participants the best of luck."

The championships will feature intense matchups as the players vie for continental supremacy in the doubles discipline of squash. The tournament schedule and draw can be found here. 

The 31st Asian Junior Individual Championships have come to a successful conclusion at Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday.

The five-day championships have attracted around 200 junior players from 12 member nations to participate.

“I would like to congratulate all the winners and participating nations. My congratulations would also go to Pakistan Squash Federation. My thanks would also go to all the officials, referees and volunteers, who made the Championships a successful and wonderful event," said Mr. David Mui MH JP, ASF's President, "Last, but not the least, I want to thank Mr. AI Ardy Ally Abdul Rahim, the ASF Appointed Technical Delegate for his hard work, as well as the 3 ASF Appointed Referees: Mr. Andrew Chang (CHN), Mr. Amos Yuen (HKG) and Mr. Muhammad Asim Amin (PAK).”

Please click here for the full set of draws and results.

Results of 31st Asian Junior Individual Championships 

Boys Under 19

Champion – Hamza Khan (PAK)

1st Runner-up - Harith Danial (MAS)

2nd Runners-up – Jooyoung Na (KOR / M Ammad (PAK)

Girls Under 19

Champion – Thanussa Uthrian (MAS)

1st Runner-up – Akari Midorikawa (JPN)

2nd Runners-up – Leung Ka Huen (HKG) / Goh Zhi Xuan (MAS)

Boys Under 17

Champion – Nikhileswar Moganasundharam (MAS)

1st Runner-up – Abdullah Nawaz (PAK)

2nd Runners-up – Altamis Aqhar Sallam Bin Haji A. Sufian (MAS) / Azan Ali (PAK)

Girls Under 17

Champion – Ena Kwong (HKG)

1st Runner-up – Helen Tang (HKG)

2nd Runners-up – Doyce Lee Ye San (MAS) / Whitney Wilson (MAS)

Boys Under 15

Champion – Shiven Agarwal (IND)

1st Runner-up – Muhammad Raziq Putra Mohd Fakhrur Razi (MAS)

2nd Runners-up – Nouman Khan (PAK) / Abdullah Zaman (PAK)

Girls Under 15

Champion – Harleein Tan (MAS)

1st Runner-up – Lo Pui Yin Chloe (HKG)

2nd Runners-up – Ooi Wen Min (MAS) / Yek Rui Jean (MAS)

Boys Under 13

Champion – Sohail Adnan (PAK)

1st Runner-up – Huzaifa Shahid (PAK)

2nd Runners-up – Muhammad Ifwat Zulkifli (MAS) / Julius Tan (MAS)

Girls Under 13

Champion – Aadya Budhia (IND)

1st Runner-up – Goushika M (IND)

2nd Runners-up – Chiu Hau Ching (HKG) / Maisarah Binti Mohd Khairul Nizam (MAS)

The 31st Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships will take place in Islamabad, Pakistan from June 25-29, 2024. This prestigious junior squash tournament has attracted around 200 players aged under 19 from 12 member national federations to competing for titles in 8 different categories.

Top junior squash players from across Asia have descended on the Pakistani capital, where they will showcase their skills and vie for championship titles. The tournament is expected to feature fierce competition as the region's rising stars aim to establish themselves on the Asian and global junior squash circuits.

"I'm grateful for Pakistan Squash Federation to host this important event, which provides a platform for the next generation of squash talent in Asia to develop and compete at the highest level. Pakistan, a nation with long and glory history of squash will provide an ideal setting for the tournament, said Mr. David Mui, MH JP, ASF President.

For the update results of the championships, please visit https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/tournament/A2C2005A-AB3C-4A66-AD0B-F0D7CFCFA40B

Top seeds Malaysia enjoyed a perfect day in Dalian as their women’s team won their 11th Asian Team Championship title and their men’s team won their fifth with 2-0 and 2-1 victories over Hong Kong, China.

"I would like to congratulate the Malaysian Teams on their incredible achievements in the Asian Team Championships.  I would also like to thank all the teams and players for travelling from across Asia to participate in the Championships. My deepest gratitude would go to Multi-ball games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China, Dalian Municipal People’s Government, Dalian Sports Bureau, Xigang District Culture and Tourism Bureau, and Dalian Squash Association for their support and coordination," said Mr David Mui, MH JP, the ASF President.

Final Positions:

Women's Team Event:

1. Malaysia; 2. Hong Kong, China; Co-3rd: Japan & Republic of Korea; 5. India; 6. Islamic Republic of Iran; 7. Macao, China; 8. Singapore; 9. China; 10. Sri Lanka; 11. Chinese Taipei; 12. Mongolia

Men's Team Event:

1. Malaysia; 2. Hong Kong, China; Co-3rd: Japan & Pakistan; 5. Republic of Korea; 6. India; 7. Singapore; 8. Islamic Republic of Iran; 9. Sri Lanka; 10. Iraq; 11. Kuwait; 12. China; 13. Chinese Taipei, 14. Mongolia

The 22nd Asian Team Squash Championships officially commenced yesterday in Dalian, China, with top squash teams from across Asia gathering to compete for the prestigious title.

The tournament, which runs from June 12th to June 16th, features men's and women's team events. Some of the top ranked squash players in Asia have assembled to represent their respective countries in this highly anticipated biennial event.

Defending men’s team champion India and women’s team champion Hong Kong, China will be looking to retain their titles. However, they will face stiff competition from other powerhouses such as Malaysia and Pakistan, all of whom have sent strong squads to Dalian.

The tournament schedule features pool play followed by knockout rounds, culminating in the finals on June 16th. Spectators are expected to fill the state-of-the-art squash venue in Dalian, as the local fans eagerly anticipate witnessing top squash action.

"This is a great opportunity for the growth of squash in Asia," said the President of the Asian Squash Federation, David Mui, MH JP. "The 22nd Asian Team Squash Championships will not only crown the best teams, but also inspire the next generation of squash players in the region."

Stay tuned for updates on the thrilling action as the 22nd Asian Team Squash Championships(www.asiansquash.org) unfolds in Dalian, China.

The finals on the 16^th will be streamed next week on WORLDSQUASH.TV, the free streaming platform of the WSF.

The Qatar International Junior Squash Championship, hosted at the Khalifa International Complex, concluded its thrilling matches after a week-long tournament organized by the Qatar Squash Federation under the umbrella of its Asian counterpart. The event saw 113 international players competing fiercely on the courts.

The awards ceremony, graced by Mr. Tariq Zainal, the General Secretary of the Qatar Tennis, Squash, Badminton, and Table Tennis Federation, and Mr. Saad Al-Muhannadi, the tournament director, was attended by a gathering of squash aficionados.

In the Boys under 11 category, Kuwaiti player Salman Al-Saleh clinched the title, followed by Pakistani player Ahmed Ali Naz in second place. Chinese player Liu Yunxi emerged victorious in the Boys under 13 category, with Kuwaiti player Saleh Al-Kandari securing the runner-up position.

Jordanian player Osama Bataineh claimed the Boys under 15 title, while Abdullah Zaman secured the second position. Kuwaiti player Khaled Al-Fawzan triumphed in the Boys under 17 category, with Mohammed Al-Nusfani finishing second.

In the Boys under 19 category, Kuwaiti player Qader Joul claimed the championship title, while Mohammed Shanghaniyan secured the runner-up position.

Mr. Tariq Zainal extended his congratulations to all the players for their outstanding performances and expressed his hopes for their continued success in the future. He remarked, “We witnessed a week filled with intense competition among players from various squash schools, and we anticipate that all participants will reap the desired benefits.”

He reiterated the federation’s commitment to hosting a diverse range of tournaments in line with its vision to support Qatari players and contribute to the growth of squash in the region.

Squash has been officially confirmed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be included in the sports programme of the LA28 Olympic Games. This historic decision provides world-class squash players with the unparalleled opportunity to showcase their skills and sportsmanship on the grandest sporting stage.

Expressing his overwhelming joy, Mr. David Mui, MH JP, President of the Asian Squash Federation stated, “The inclusion of squash in the LA28 Olympic Games is fantastic news for the entire squash community. We firmly believe that this will further promote squash and inspire more individuals to participate and support the sport. On behalf of the Asian squash Federation, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the IOC and LA28OCOG for their unwavering support and recognition. We also extend appreciation to all the parties involved, whose dedicated efforts and contributions have turned this dream into reality.”

Dear member nations,

It’s my great pleasure to inform you that squash has been selected by LA28 OCOG for proposal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be included in the LA28 Olympic Games!

To echo the joint statement announced by World Squash Federation (WSF), US Squash and the Professional Squash Association (PSA), Asian Squash Federation also shows our support and welcomes the decision by the LA28 Organising Committee to recommend squash for inclusion in the LA2028 Olympic sports programme. This decision marks a momentous and thrilling milestone in the history of squash.

We greatly appreciate the continuous effort and hard work of all parties involved to ensure that squash would have a best chance to be included in the LA2028 Olympic Games. My sincere gratitude would also go to LA28OCOG for their support and recommendation.

Let’s hope for a favourable outcome from the imminent IOC Session in Mumbai on Monday, October 16.

Regards,

David MUI, MH, JP

President

Asian Squash Federation

Please click here to read the announcement made by LA28 regarding the proposed new sports.

On a thrilling final day of squash at the 19th Asian Games, Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam and Eain Yow Ng captured the two singles golds, while Indian duo Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu won gold in the first ever Asian Games mixed doubles event.

In a tense and emotionally charged women’s final, Malaysia’s Subramaniam edged out Hong Kong, China’s Sin Yuk Chan in a five-game thriller that either player could have won.

The pair met earlier this year in the final of the Asian Championship, with Chan getting the better of Subramaniam in five games.

Today, though, it was revenge for the Malaysian, whose victory at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre underlines her return to form after recovering from a serious traffic accident last year.

3/4 seed Chan spoke before the match about how her best shot at the title was with her attacking weaponry and she more than lived up to her word, frequently disrupting the Malaysian with fantastic work at the front of the court.

After Chan took the first game 11-8, Subramaniam dragged herself level with a 15-13 game two win.

The third game went to a tie-break, too, as Chan regained her lead with a 12-10 victory only for Subramaniam to level again with an 11-9 win in game four to force a fifth game.

In an epic final encounter, it was Chan who made the first move towards the title, with the 21-year-old moving into an 8-5 lead.

Subramaniam, however, dug in incredibly in a frenetic conclusion, reeling in Chan’s lead to earn championship ball at 10-9.

Chan recovered from the onslaught well and saved championship ball to force yet another tie-break, but could not capitalise as Subramaniam clinched Malaysia’s fifth consecutive Asian Games women’s singles title with a 12-10 victory.

“I was flag bearer and now, to win two gold medals, it seems like a movie to me,” Subramaniam – who was also part of the Malaysian women’s team that won gold earlier in the competition – said afterwards.

“I don’t think anyone would have expected me to win two gold medals after the last year-and-a-half. I started playing well only in maybe April or May but before that, I was really struggling. I had a lot of challenges to go through and I cannot believe this at the moment.”

Following Subramaniam’s victory, Malaysian Men’s No.1 Eain Yow Ng then secured Malaysia’s third squash gold of the Games as he came from behind to beat India’s Saurav Ghosal.

Ghosal, who beat Ng in the team event at this year’s Games, made the stronger start as he recovered from going 1-6 down to winning game one 11-9 in what looked to be an ominous sign for the Malaysian.

Despite the seemingly demoralising turn of momentum against him, Ng’s head did not drop and he levelled with an 11-9 win of his own before pulling ahead with a comfortable 11-5 win in game three.

Towards the end of game three, there seemed to be an air of inevitability about the conclusion, with Ng finding it increasingly comfortable to hold off a tiring Ghosal’s attacks.

Sure enough, this pattern continued in the fourth game, and the 25-year-old was able to bring the contest to a close and earn the gold with an 11-7 win.

Afterwards, Ng said: “It’s huge!

“What a way to do it. I’m just soaking it in at the moment… at times, it just felt like there was no way we could win a point. Everyone was just picking everything up.

“All credit to Saurav. What a legend. If you watch him over the last two weeks he has played unbelievably.”

Despite that defeat for Ghosal, his second in the individuals final following a 2014 loss to Kuwait’s Abdullah Almezayen, the 37-year-old will take consolation from his team gold medal earned earlier this week and by the gold medal won by his compatriots Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu.

That win for the Indian pairing, which came against Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal to prevent a Malaysian clean sweep on the day, will go down in squash history with mixed doubles squash making its Asian Games debut this year.

Top seeds Pallikal Karthik and Kamal were tested severely by the No.2 seeds in a thrilling contest, which was played at a hectic and crowd-pleasing pace.

The Indian pairing – as they did in their quarter-final and semi-final – made a slow start to the final, with Azman’s attacking instincts and Kamal’s coverage combining well as the Malaysians earned three game balls at 10-8.

Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu, however, clung on brilliantly to save the first two to level and then converted the sudden death game ball at 10-10 to take a vital 1-0 lead.

In a see-saw second game, the Indian pair were once again pushed to the brink by the Malaysians.

The contest looked effectively over when Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu went 6-1 up, only for a tremendous rearguard action by Azman and Kamal to earn the No.2 seeds game balls at 10-9.

Yet again, however, the Indian pair held firm, drawing level before Sandhu fired the ball into the corridor of uncertainty in the middle of the court, which both Azman and Kamal left, to the roars of the Indian bench.

“My mum was crying, my husband, my sister and my best friend – they were all watching together. I think the whole family was… I’m just happy to be going back with a gold,” Pallikal Karthik said afterwards.

Sandhu added: “I was playing for [Pallikal Karthik], nothing for me. I just wanted to make sure I do as much as I can for her on court.

“She just kept backing me. I was like a kid in school when you’re not doing well and the teacher is constantly behind you. I played like that on court!”

Result: 19th Asian Games Women’s Individual Championship, Final
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [3/4] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) 3-2: 8-11, 15-13, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10 (64m)

Result: 19th Asian Games Men’s Individual Championship, Final
[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (72m)

Result: 19th Asian Games Mixed Doubles Championship, Final
[1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik & Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [2] Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 2-0: 11-10, 11-10 (34m)

Medal Winners: 19th Asian Games

The top two seeds in the women’s singles draw at the 19th Asian Games crashed out in the semi-finals as Sivasangari Subramaniam and Sin Yuk Chan upset the seedings to reach the final, while in the men’s draw top seeds Eain Yow Ng and Saurav Ghosal clinched their places in the gold medal match with 3-1 and 3-0 wins.

In the mixed doubles, which is making its Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, Indian top seeds Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu, and Malaysian No.2 seeds Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal fought back from a game down in their matches to make the final.

Despite being seeded lower than No.1 seed Satomi Watanabe, Malaysian 3/4 seed Subramaniam will have drawn confidence from her dominant 9-1 record against the Japanese star going into the match.

Subramaniam, who now looks back to her very best following a lengthy spell on the sidelines last season, was a cut above Watanabe throughout their 30-minute encounter, with the 24-year-old dominant in the centre as she frequently pinned Watanabe to the back on her way to an 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 win.

Despite the defeat, Watanabe will take consolation from her bronze medal, the first ever individual medal won by a Japanese squash player at the Asian Games.

“I just tried to focus on my game and I did really well to be winning in three. I thought I did well with that and just happy to be in another final tomorrow,” Subramaniam said afterwards.

Subramaniam will face fellow 3/4 seed Chan in tomorrow’s final after the 21-year-old beat Hong Kong, China compatriot and No.2 seed Tomato Ho in straight games, with Chan consistently beating the struggling Ho at the front of the court with an impressive attacking display.

Afterwards, Chan said: “It feels fantastic. This is my first Asian Games and it’s really great to be in the final.

“Playing against teammates is always tough because we all get nervous, but I handled the pressure well.”

In the men’s semi-finals, the top two seeds were able to secure their place in the final, though Malaysia’s Ng was forced to do things the hard way by Abdulla Al Tamimi of Qatar.

The 3/4 seed edged a tight first game 12-10 before the No.1 seed hit back with an 11-7 win in game two.

Al Tamimi, who wowed the crowd with his typically exciting winners as well as some excellent retrieving, looked to be moving into the lead again when he went 9-6 up in game three, but could not push on, with Ng going on a scoring run to take the game 11-9 before clinching the match with a comfortable 11-5 win in game four.

Like Watanabe, Al Tamimi will likely take solace from making national sporting history, with the Qatari going home having earned his country’s first ever Asian Games squash medal.

Afterwards, Ng said: “I changed my mindset today and was really just enjoying some good squash! A few times I hit the widest crosscourt in the world and he was still getting it and all I could do was smile at how good it was.

“I just want to enjoy the occasion, the atmosphere and show everyone what I can do.”

Ng will take on 2014 silver medalist and three-time bronze medalist Ghosal in tomorrow’s final after the Indian No.1, playing in his sixth Asian Games, swept aside 5/8 seed Henry Leung of Hong Kong, China in straight games.

“It took me a while to get over [the 2014 final defeat]” Ghosal admitted afterwards. He added: “I am just grateful that I have the opportunity to come back and play another final.”

The mixed doubles final, meanwhile, will feature the top seeds, though both were forced to do things the hard way in pulsating semi-final matches.

Indian duo Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu, who won the  “Exciting Hangzhou” KINME Cup Asian Squash Mixed Doubles Tournament here earlier this year, struggled in their first game against No.6 seeds Ka Yi Lee and Chi Him Wong, who took the first game 11-7.

As they did in their quarter-final comeback win against Philippines, the top seeds soon found the perfect response, with the pair finding gaps in the Hong Kong, China defences as they drew level with an 11-7 win of their own in game two before squeezing home with an 11-9 win in game three.

“I am just happy that I get to have my twins watch me play and hopefully we both can do it tomorrow,” Pallikal Karthik said afterwards.

Malaysian duo Aifa Azman and Mohd Syafiq Kamal, meanwhile, also fought their way back. After dropping the first game 11-7 to India’s Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh, the No.2 seeded Malaysian duo came roaring back with an 11-2 win in game two.

Singh and Singh appeared to have one foot in the final when they went 9-6 up in game three, but Azman and Kamal gathered themselves spectacularly, hurtling around the court and pouncing on errors from 15-year-old Anahat Singh to score four points in rapid succession and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

“[At 6-9 down] we said ‘if they want to take a point, they’ll have to kill us.’ We weren’t going to give them easy points!” Kamal reflected.

The finals in the mixed doubles and singles events take place tomorrow, October 05.

Play begins at 14:00 (GMT+8) at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre with the mixed doubles final. In the singles competitions, the women’s final takes place at 16:00, with the men’s final following at 17:00.

Click here to view detailed results from the semi-finals of the doubles and singles competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Keep up with the results and schedule on the official tournament website. Find out more about the Hangzhou Asian Games at asiansquash.org and at worldsquash.org.

Results: 19th Asian Games Women’s Individual Championship, Semi-Finals
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [1] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
[3/4] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) bt [2] Tomato Ho (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 (26m)

Results: 19th Asian Games Men’s Individual Championship, Semi-Finals
[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [3/4] Abdulla Al Tamimi (QAT) 3-1: 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (52m)
[2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [5/8] Henry Leung (HKG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-6 (32m)

Results: 19th Asian Games Mixed Doubles Championship, Semi-Finals
[1] Dipika Pallika Karthik & Harinder Sandhu (IND) bt [6] Ka Yi Lee & Chi Him Wong (HKG) 2-1: 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 (39m)
[2] Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt [4] Anahat Singh & Abhay Singh (IND) 2-1: 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 (38m)

Draw: 19th Asian Games Women’s Individual Championship, Final
[3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) v [3/4] Sin Yuk Chan (HKG)

Draw: 19th Asian Games Men’s Individual Championship, Final
[1] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [2] Saurav Ghosal (IND)

Draw: 19th Asian Games Mixed Doubles Championship, Final
[1] Dipika Pallika Karthik & Harinder Sandhu (IND) v [2] Aifa Azman & Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS)

The mixed doubles and singles squash semi-finalists of the 19th Asian Games have been confirmed after an entertaining day at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.

In the mixed doubles, which is making its Asian Games debut, top seeded Indian duo Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu survived a scare when they fought back to beat Philippines’ Jemyca Aribado and Robert Garcia.

Aribado and Garcia, seeded seventh, deservedly took the first game, with the pair well organised and covering each other effectively in an 11-7 win.

Pallikal Karthik – reigning mixed doubles world champion – and Sandhu quickly reset, though, with the Indian duo finding their rhythm as they flipped the match with 11-5 and 11-4 wins.

“Myself and Hari know each other well and, even without saying many words, we understand each other, which is a good thing. We try to pump each other up and remind each other to have fun on court because that’s when we play our best,” Pallikal Karthik said afterwards.

Pallikal Karthik and Sandhu will face Hong Kong, China duo Ka Yi Lee and Chi Him Wong after the No.6 seeds beat compatriots and No.5 seeds Tsz-Wing Tong & Ming Hong Tang 2-0.

The other semi-final also features Indian representation, with No.4 seeds Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh coming through a tricky encounter with Republic of Korean No.11 seeds Yeongsoo Yang and Dongjin Lee to earn a semi-final against Malaysian No.2 seeds Aifa Azman and Syafiq Kamal, who beat Republic of Korean No.9 seeds Hwayeong Eum and JaeJin Yoo 2-0.

In the singles events, Hong Kong’s Henry Leung came through a battling encounter as he upset compatriot and 3/4 seed Tsz Kwan Lau in straight games.

Leung and Lau went into the contest plenty familiar with each other and seemingly evenly matched, having met six times in recent seasons, winning three apiece.

Yesterday, though, it was Leung who had the upper hand, with the 28-year-old getting the better of Lau in straight games, with the final game a tense 12-10 win.

Leung will take on No.2 seed and 2014 runner up Saurav Ghosal in the semi-final after the Indian No.1, who also won a bronze medal in 2018, 2010 and 2006, beat Japan’s 5/8 seed Ryunosuke Tsukue in straight games.

The other men’s semi-final will be contested by top seed Eain Yow Ng of Malaysia, who recovered from a difficult start to beat 2014 winner and 9/16 seed Abdullah Almezayen of Kuwait, and Qatari 3/4 seed Abdulla Al Tamimi, who comfortably overcame Malaysia’s 5/8 seed Addeen Idrakie.

In the women’s draw, play went to seedings, with top seed Satomi Watanabe becoming the first ever Japanese player to reach the semi-final thanks to an 11-5, 11-6, 14-12 win over India’s Tanvi Khanna.

Watanabe faces 3/4 seed Sivasangari Subramaniam in what could be an Asian Games classic today. Despite her lower seeding, the Malaysian goes into the match with a 9-1 head-to-head record against Watanabe, something the Japanese No.1 will no doubt be desperate to rectify on the grandest of stages today.

The other semi-final will be an all Hong Kong, China clash, with No.2 seed Tomato Ho going up against Sin Yuk Chan, with the pair recording comfortable victories over Japan’s Akari Midorikawa and Malaysia’s Aira Azman, respectively.

Today, October 04, sees the semi-finals of both the singles and mixed doubles events take place.

Play begins at 12:00 (GMT+8) at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre with the mixed doubles semi-finals, with the singles semi-finals beginning from 15:00.

Click here to view detailed results from the quarter-finals of the doubles and singles competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Keep up with the results and schedule on the official tournament website. Find out more about the Hangzhou Asian Games at asiansquash.org and at worldsquash.org.

2014 Asian Games champion Abdullah Almezayen rolled back the years in the men’s singles draw of the 19th Asian Games with a gritty performance as he overcame 5/8 seed Muhammad Asim Khan, while Republic of Korea’s Mingyeong Heo continued her nation’s fine form to beat 2018 bronze medal winner and 5/8 seed Joshna Chinappa in the women’s event.

Meanwhile, the pools stage of the mixed doubles event – which is making its Asian Games debut this year in Hangzhou – resumed and is set for an exciting conclusion tomorrow.

Just days ago, Kuwait’s Almezayen – who spectacularly captured the 2014 title as the 5/8 seed – had lost out to Pakistan’s Khan in the men’s team event here in Hangzhou.

Today, though, the 35-year-old had his revenge in a match in which momentum swung dramatically from player to player.

After taking the first game 11-4, Almezayen was brutally knocked back by an 11-1 Khan win in game two. The shot-making Kuwaiti reclaimed his lead with an 11-8 win in the third game, only to be pegged back once again by the same scoreline.

In the fifth game, though, the 9/16 seed was able to break Khan’s resistance, speeding away from 3-3 to 9-3 up before clinching the decider 11-4.

Almezayen will play top seed Eain Yow Ng in the quarter-final tomorrow after the Malaysian comfortably beat Qatar’s Syed Amjad.

“This is such a big tournament, representing Kuwait. I think my age is not too old to win this tournament!” Almezayen said afterwards.

Hangzhou was also treated to an upset in the women’s draw, with Heo dispatching Chinappa in a tight contest.

Heo, 27, is playing her first Asian Games but looked assured throughout her 37-minute contest with Chinappa, keeping her cool and limiting mistakes to take the match 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8.

After the match, Heo said: “I didn’t even think about [the seedings] but I’m so happy that I won and am looking forward Ito tomorrow as well. I’ll play with confidence!”

Elsewhere, the singles draw went according to seedings, with Japan’s Satomi Watanabe, top seed in the women’s draw, easing into the quarter-final with a 3-0 win over Heo’s compatriot Jihyun Lee.

In the mixed doubles event, there were a number of comeback victories, with Philippines, Republic of Korea and Thailand all battling back from a game down to beat Sri Lanka, Japan and Nepal, respectively.

That win for Republic of Korea leaves the race for qualification in Pool A open, with India’s top seeded pairing of Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu – who did not play today – top with two wins, with Japan and Republic of Korea on one win, and Pakistan without a win.

Republic of Korea face Pakistan tomorrow, while Japan take on India.

Meanwhile, Malaysia and Sri Lanka top Pool B, with Hong Kong, China’s two teams topping Pools C and D.

Tomorrow, October 03, sees the mixed doubles pools stage conclude at the quarter-finals take place, while the singles quarter-finals will also be played.

Play begins at 11:00 (GMT+8) with the last mixed doubles pools stage matches, with the mixed doubles quarter-finals getting underway at 17:00.

The quarter-finals of the singles quarter-finals take place from 16:00.

Click here to view detailed results from day two of the doubles and singles competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Keep up with the results and schedule on the official tournament website. Find out more about the Hangzhou Asian Games at asiansquash.org and at worldsquash.org.

Rank outsiders and No.11 seeds Republic of Korea put in a superb defensive performance against No.3 seeds Malaysia as mixed doubles squash made its Asian Games debut, while the singles competition also got underway in Hangzhou.

The mixed doubles tournament, the first doubles event of any kind to be played at the Asian Games, is being hosted by three spectacular all-glass courts at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre and began with a bang worthy of the magnificent venue when, in the second match of the day, Republic of Korea’s first team of Yeongsoo Yang and Dongjun Lee sent shockwaves through the tournament.

The duo, seeded 11th, went one game down to Malaysia’s second team of Rachel Arnold and Ivan Yuen but levelled with a carefully-managed 11-8 win in game two.

In a tense third game, more history was made when Arnold and Yuen saved game ball at 9-10 down to force the first ever sudden death tie break at the Asian Games.

In an intense final rally, Yang and Lee were indomitable, making last gasp recoveries time and again before Lee was able to blast the ball beyond a disoriented Yuen, whose desperate lunge towards the back after momentarily losing track of the ball fell short, to the roars of the Republic of Korean bench.

Afterwards, Yang said: “At 10-10 it was tense and we had to stay calm. I feel so great because we were able to finish it really well.”

Lee added: “I just told myself ‘no mistakes!’ This win gives us confidence for our next match.”

The pair then followed up this win with a straightforward victory over Nepal’s second team to top Pool C.

Despite the defeat, there was consolation for Malaysia, with Arnold and Yuen recovering to comfortably beat Thailand’s first team in the afternoon.

Malaysia’s first team, comprised of Mohd Syafiq Kamal and women’s team champion Aifa Azman, fared better.

The duo, seeded second, entered squash’s record books as the first players to win an Asian Games doubles match after overcoming a well-drilled China team of Dongjin Li and Zhitao Zhou – the first squash players to represent the hosts this year with China not entering the team or singles championships – in the morning and then beating Sri Lanka in the afternoon.

India, meanwhile, got their title bid off to a strong start with wins for their first team, top seeds Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinder Sandhu, against Philippines’ second team and Pakistan’s first team, while their second team, No.4 seeds Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh, beat Republic of Korea’s second team and Pakistan’s second team.

The singles event, which began in the round of 32, featured 14 matches across both draws as the majority of the players inside the top 16 seeds received byes.

Play largely went to seedings, with all but two of the matches decided in three games.

In the most competitive match of the day, Kuwait’s [9/16] Ammar Al Tamimi came back from a game down to eventually triumph 3-2 against Republic of Korea’s Minwoo Lee, while there was also a comeback win for Pakistan’s [5/8] seed Muhammad Asim Khan as he overcame Singapore’s Aaron Liang 3-1.

In a minor seedings upset, Republic of Korean junior Joo Young Na beat [9/16] seed Marcus Phua of Singapore in straight games.

The singles and mixed doubles events resume today, October 02, with play beginning at 11:00 (GMT+8).

Click here to view detailed results from day one of the doubles and singles competitions at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Keep up with the results and schedule on the official tournament website. Find out more about the Hangzhou Asian Games at asiansquash.org and at worldsquash.org.

India came back from the brink to win their second men’s title and Malaysia won their third women’s title as the team squash events concluded at the 19th Asian Games.

In one of the Asian Games’ greatest ever finals, top seeds India recovered from being two championship balls down as they overcame Pakistan and avenged their pools stage defeat.

That defeat to their rivals seemed to spur the top seeds on today as they edged past a Pakistan team that has played well above their No.4 seeding at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre.

Pakistan made an ideal start to the tie when their third string Nasir Iqbal comfortably saw off Mahesh Mangaonkar – one of three players in the India team who played in the 2014 title-winning side – 11-8, 11-3, 11-2 in 29 minutes.

Indian first string Saurav Ghosal, playing in his sixth Asian Games, rapidly chalked off the deficit with a 3-0 win of his own against Muhammad Asim Khan to take the tie into a third match.

In a riveting encounter, played in a bear-pit atmosphere of partisan India and Pakistan fans, second strings Abhay Singh and Noor Zaman played out a thriller that went to the wire.

Zaman was on top for much of the clash, with the 19-year-old powerful around the court as he recovered from dropping the first game with two fiercely contested wins to move into a 2-1 lead.

The 2023 Asian Junior Team Champion came close to sealing the win in game four when he went 9-7 up, but was pegged back by tremendous resistance from Singh, who took four consecutive points to level the deciding match and take the contest into a fifth game.

Once more Zaman looked like he had done enough, earning two championship balls at 10-8.

Singh, however, rallied incredibly, covering every inch of the court to keep the ball alive as he once more went on a scoring run, taking four consecutive points yet again to force a tie break and then take the match 12-10 to complete a remarkable comeback.

Afterwards, Singh said: “If this the last Asian Games for any of [Saurav Ghosal, Mahesh Mangaonkar, Harinder Sandhu], this one is for them. This one is for the three boys who came back.

“I have to do something for them, for all the sacrifices they have put in to be here, to send them out in a good way.

“It’s for them but most importantly for my country.”

The day’s first final pitched women’s defending champions and top seeds Hong Kong, China against No.2 seeds and two-time winners Malaysia.

In a tense opening match between third strings Tsz-Wing Tong and Rachel Arnold, it was Tong who was able to put her side into the lead, with the World No.41 coming from behind to take down the World No.32.

Luckily for Malaysia, first string Sivasangari Subramaniam – who returned to squash earlier this year following a serious traffic accident in 2022 – was in devastating form. The hard-hitting 24-year-old, part of the Malaysia team that crashed out in the semi-finals last time, quickly restored parity with an efficient 3-0 win over Tomato Ho.

In an exciting third match it was 21-year-old second string Aifa Azman, who like Subramaniam missed out in Jakarta 2018, who proved the hero for Malaysia.

The World No.23 made a quick start to the final match as she raced into a 2-0 lead.

Azman came agonisingly close to finishing it in three games, but could not convert championship ball at 11-10 as Sin Yuk Chan clung on to force another game with a 13-11 win.

The Malaysian, though, came back furiously in game four as she blasted her way into a 7-1 lead. Although Chan began to chip away and even saved one more championship ball at 10-7, Azman’s lead proved to be enough as she edged over the line 11-8 to return the gold to Malaysian hands.

Afterwards, Azman said: “I’ve never played a deciding match before in my entire life, I think – I was surprised I wasn’t nervous when I went inside.

“Today, I knew how to handle the pressure and I went inside with a really good game plan.”

The singles and mixed doubles events begin tomorrow, October 01.

Keep up with the results and schedule on the official tournament website. Find out more about the Hangzhou Asian Games as asiansquash.org and at worldsquash.org

Result: 19th Asian Games Women’s Team Championship, Final
[2] Malaysia 2-1 [1] Hong Kong, China
Rachel Arnold lost to Tsz-Wing Tong 2-3: 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11 (57m)
Sivasangari Subramaniam bt Tomato Ho 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (26m)
Aifa Azman bt Sin Yuk Chan 3-1: 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8 (36m)

Result: 19th Asian Games Men’s Team Championship, Final
[1] India 2-1 [4] Pakistan
Mahesh Mangaonkar lost to Nasir Iqbal 0-3: 8-11, 3-11, 2-11 (29m)
Saurav Ghosal bt Muhammad Asim Khan 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-3 (30m)
Abhay Singh bt Noor Zaman 3-2: 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10 (65m)

Final Standings: 19th Asian Games Women’s Team Championship
Gold: [2] Malaysia
Silver: [1] Hong Kong, China
Bronze: [3] India & [5] Republic of Korea

Final Standings: 19th Asian Games Men’s Team Championship
Gold: [1] India
Silver: [4] Pakistan
Bronze: [3] Hong Kong, China & [2] Malaysia