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India's Suraj Kumar Chand delivered a commanding, error-free campaign to win the men's title, while Egypt's Rouqaia Othman lifted the women's trophy at the Squash PSA Challenger Tour 2026 in Chennai.
Second seed Chand needed just 34 minutes to outclass South Korea's Jeongmin Ryu 3-0 (11-5, 11-9, 11-3) in a one-sided men's final on Sunday, sealing his fourth title on the PSA Challenger circuit. According to Olympics.com, the 25-year-old Indian was in imperious form throughout the tournament, not dropping a single game across all his matches. After receiving a first-round bye, Chand began his campaign with a straight-games victory over compatriot Aryaveer Dewan. He carried that momentum into the quarter-finals, brushing aside Om Semwal with ease, before overcoming Hong Kong China's Wailok To in another clinical semi-final performance. The title marks Chand's first triumph since a successful 2024 season, when he claimed three domestic PSA Challenger titles, reaffirming his steady rise in the international circuit. In the women's final, seventh seed Othman showcased resilience and composure to defeat Malaysia's Harleein Tan 3-1 (12-10, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7). The Egyptian held her nerve in crucial moments, especially in the opening game, to take control of the match and eventually secure the title. India's campaign in the women's draw ended at the quarter-final stage, with top seed Rathika Suthanthira Seelan, along with Nirupama Dubey and Pooja Arthi Raghu, failing to progress further. Notably, teenage sensation and Asian Games medallist Anahat Singh did not participate in the Chennai event. With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, performances like Chand's will bolster India's hopes of making a mark on the sport's biggest stage. (ANI)
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