India, Dec 10 : Hosts India made a dominant start to their campaign at the SDAT Squash World Cup 2025, defeating debutants Switzerland 4-0 in their Pool B opener at Express Avenue Mall, Chennai, on Monday.
India’s mixed team showed superior skill and composure, winning all four matches in straight sets or near-clean sweeps in front of a packed home crowd. The tournament, running from December 9 to 14, features mixed-team ties with two men’s and two women’s matches in each encounter.
India’s challenge was led by national champion Velavan Senthilkumar, who opened the tie with a hard-fought 3-0 win over Robin Gadola (7-6, 7-6, 7-5). Despite Gadola pushing the Indian close in all three games, Velavan’s consistency and composure proved decisive.
Seventeen-year-old Anahat Singh, the youngest player in the tournament, extended India’s lead with a convincing 3-0 victory over Celine Walser (7-1, 7-4, 7-2), displaying maturity beyond her years.
World No. 29 Abhay Singh then sealed the tie by defeating Louai Hafez 3-0 (7-0, 7-5, 7-3), maintaining complete control throughout the match.
Veteran Joshna Chinappa capped off the clean sweep with a 3-1 win over Stella Kaufmann (7-1, 5-7, 7-2, 7-0), recovering strongly after dropping the second game to close the tie in emphatic fashion.
Reacting to the win, India’s national coach Harinder Pal Sandhu said the opening match always brings pressure. “Playing the first match at home can be nervy, but it feels good to get that first win. The hunger and desire in the team is very strong,” he said.
India, bronze medallists at the 2023 edition also held in Chennai, will face Brazil in their second Pool B match on December 11. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.