Mumbai: Hangzhou Asian Games mixed doubles bronze medal-winners Abhay Singh (Tamil Nadu) and Anahat Singh (Delhi) are the men’s and women’s top seeds in the in the Little Masters and Senior Squash Open, scheduled to commence from January 13 at the prestigious Willingdon Sports Club, Worli, here, in Mumbai.
Abhay, who had lost to Velavan Senthilkumar in the 79th National Squash Championship last November, is expected to dominate the men’s competition. The 25-year-old Abhay from Chennai is expected to encounter a strong challenge from Maharashtra’s 22-year-old second seed Suraj Kumar Chand, who would hope to set the record straight after he lost to the former in the Nationals semi-finals.
Maharashtra’s 23-year-old Rahul Baitha is seeded third ahead of 21-year-old Australian Remi Young (world rank 312) who will be vying for the top honours in the men’s draw.
The 15-year-old Anahat, world rank 123, had become the second youngest National women champion, and has had an impressive run in the lead-up to this tournament. She recently won the girls’ under-17 silver medal in the British Junior Open and had earlier emerged victorious in the Girls’ Under-19 category at the Scottish Junior Open. Having won four titles in two major tournaments in Mumbai last year, she is the firm favourite to again come out trumps at the Willingdon Sports Club on January 17.
Standing in Anahat’s road to success is Canadian-born 23-year-old Japanese Erisa Sano Herring (world rank 127), the second seed. The third seed is Sri Lanka teenager Chanithma Sinaly (world rank 173) and fifth seed is Serbia’s Jelena Dutina (world rank 193). India’s Rathika Suthanthira Seelan of Tamil Nadu and Mumbai’s Janet Vidhi are the fourth and sixth seeds respectively.
An overwhelming number of almost 435 players from India and overseas will compete in 16 categories over the six-day championship.
–IANS