Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) The countdown has begun to what is set to be a landmark moment in squash in India. India’s first-ever PSA Squash Copper tournament, with a prize purse of USD 53,500, Indian Open 2025 will commence on March 24, with the finals scheduled for March 28 at the Bombay Gymkhana here.
The competition will begin on the indoor courts, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final set to be played on a full-glass outdoor court, offering fans a unique experience. The JSW India Open is even more significant for the Indian sports fraternity as it welcomes back a major squash tournament to the country after a seven-year hiatus. Coincidentally, squash is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.
The return of top-level squash to the country with the India Open was announced in the presence of Ramit Tandon (India No. 1 in Men’s Squash) and Anahat Singh (India No. 3 in Women’s Squash).
When asked about his thoughts on the tournament, India No. 1 Ramit said, “It’s always good to play at home. I think in India we don’t get the opportunity to do it enough so I’m very thankful to JSW and everyone involved who have made this possible.
“Especially with the Olympics coming up, our PSA rankings are going to be crucial, and home-court advantage is something Indians don’t really get at the top level. Since this is the biggest squash event ever to be hosted in India, it’s important in terms of reaching out to more people and getting more eyeballs on the sport. I think it’s a beautiful thing to have some more sports events within the country so I’m excited,” he said.
This tournament will see top Indian squash players such as Ramit Tandon, Velavan Senthilkumar, Veer Chotrani, Anahat Singh, and Akanksha Salunkhe take the court, alongside some talented international athletes from France, Spain, Holland, Egypt, Canada, England, the USA, Malaysia, and Japan among other countries.
Both the Men’s and Women’s draw will see a total of 24 players each with India’s Ramit Tandon and Akanksha Salunkhe going in as the top seeds, respectively. Meanwhile, India’s Suraj Kumar Chand and Anjali Semwal are the two Wild Card entries at the JSW India Open.
India No. 3, Anahat Singh added, “This will be one of the bigger tournaments for me up till now, and getting to play in India as well as being able to play with so many international players is going to be wonderful. Especially for me, it’s really important for my ranking and getting to play at home rather than travelling outside the country so much.”
–IANS
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