Women's Squash Team Settles for Bronze After Semifinal Heartbreak At Asian Games

Tanvi Khanna scripted a stirring fightback, but Anahat Singh's opening-match loss proved crucial as the Indian women's squash team signed off with a bronze medal after losing to Hong Kong 1-2 in the semifinals of the Asian Games on Thursday. A lot rode on 18-year-old Anahat as India, already assured of a medal, hoped to better their Hangzhou 2022 show. However, the world No. 17 Indian squandered four match points to go down 2-3 (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-13, 10-12) against world No. 25 Sin Yuk Chan in a thrilling opening match.

World No. 73 Tanvi then scripted a fine comeback with a 3-1 (4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 13-11) win over world No. 40 Ka Yi Lee to keep India's hopes alive in the three-match contest.

However, veteran Joshna Chinappa, a former world top-10 player, suffered a straight-game loss to world No. 39 Ho Tze Lok.

"Yeah, definitely very disappointed, we had come so close to, obviously in the mixed doubles as well. But we played our best and with that I'm really happy with just the effort level," Joshna said.

"Of course, the team event as well, we had come really close to also beating them, but yeah this is what happens sometimes and it's tough, but at least I'm so proud of my team," said the 40-year-old, who set a record for playing in the most editions of the Asian Games among Indians.

With two medals here, the second being in the mixed doubles event alongside Velavan Senthilkumar, Joshna's medal count has reached seven -- two silver and five bronze -- from seven consecutive Asian Games starting in 2002.

Talking about her own match, she said, "I felt like I only got into the match a little bit later and it was too late by then. But all credit to my opponent, she played really well, she was very attacking in the beginning as well, and yeah she played well the whole match."

Up against Sin Yuk Chan, Anahat made a superb start, taking the first two games, and was leading 10-6 in the fourth game before squandering four match points to allow Sin to make a roaring comeback.

She fell 7-9 behind in the fifth game but clawed back to 9-9, only for Sin to grab the first match point. The Indian saved it with a backhand drop, but a composed Sin earned another match point and sealed the match with ease.

"I was 2-0 up and had a great chance of winning, but I wasn't really able to convert the game. Of course, it doesn't always go to plan, but Tanvi did incredibly well coming back and backing up that match and winning against an amazing player," Anahat said later.

With the silver medal she won in the women's singles here, Anahat has taken her Asian Games medal count to four. She won two bronze medals in the last edition.

"Of course, I'm happy to get a medal in both of the events and I expect and hope for better in both of them, but I'm going to try to learn as much as I possibly can from this event," said the 18-year-old.

"It's been a long 14 days of a lot of squash, there's a lot that I can learn from this and I'll just go back and revise all of this and just reflect on it. The season has just started."

In the second match, Tanvi couldn't make much headway against Ka Yi Lee, losing the opening game quickly. She produced a better show in the second, extending the rallies to earn a game point at 10-9. A backhand drop brought Lee level.

Tanvi squandered another game point before converting the third to keep India alive. In the third game, the Indian fell 3-7 behind but fought back to draw level at 9-9. She earned a game point and sealed the third game when Lee erred again.

Tanvi was 4-1 up in the fourth game. Lee took a 9-7 lead before the Indian clawed back with two points. Lee grabbed a game point, which Tanvi saved before earning a match point herself. After squandering it, she converted her second match point as India stayed afloat.

In the deciding singles match, Joshna was pitted against Ho, but the Indian was unable to keep pace physically with her opponent as she lost the first two games and faced six match points in the third.

The Indian made a late fightback to save five match points before losing the game, going down 4-11, 7-11, 9-11 in just 21 minutes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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