India enjoyed a strong day in squash at the Asian Games on Thursday as Anahat Singh, Tanvi Khanna, Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani advanced to the singles quarterfinals. Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar also booked their place in the mixed doubles quarterfinals in Aichi-Nagoya.Junior world champion Anahat began her women’s singles campaign with a 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-7) win over Singapore’s Wai Iynn Au Yeong in just 19 minutes.Tanvi Khanna also moved into the last eight after defeating Singapore’s Wai Yhann Au Yeong 3-1 (5-11, 11-4, 11-5, 13-11) in a 39-minute match.The two wins set up an all-Indian women’s singles quarterfinal between Anahat and Tanvi.Unlike the previous edition, players who reach the semifinals are not guaranteed a medal in the singles competition. The two losing semifinalists will play a third-place playoff to decide the bronze medal.In the men’s singles, Abhay Singh registered a 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-0) win over Sri Lanka’s Ravindu Laksiri in 25 minutes to reach the quarterfinals.Abhay will next face Japan’s Ryunosuke in the last eight.Veer Chotrani also progressed after a five-game contest against Malaysia’s Sanjay Jeeva. Veer won 3-2 (11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 15-17, 11-6) in a match that lasted one hour and nine minutes.He will face Pakistan’s Irfan Muhammad in the quarterfinals.Earlier in the day, Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the mixed doubles quarterfinals with a straight-games win over fellow Indians Suraj Chand and Shameena Riaz in the round of 16.The Indian pair, who won bronze at the Asian Championships, defeated Suraj and Shameena 11-7, 11-10.Joshna and Velavan will face the Philippines pair of David Pelino and Jemyca Aribado in the quarterfinals on Friday.
