India's Velavan Senthilkumar has secured a medal at the Asian Squash Championships 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 45th-ranked player in the world booked his place in the semi-finals after a dominant performance, guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal.
Senthilkumar's path to the semi-finals saw him maintain a perfect record, winning all his matches in straight games. He received a bye in the first round and then defeated Li Haizhen from the People's Republic of China. In the round of 16, he continued his strong form, overcoming Japan's Tomotaka Endo with ease. The quarter-final match saw Senthilkumar face Malaysia's Joachim Chuah, ranked 196th in the world. Senthilkumar won the match with a score of 11-7, 11-6, 11-6.
By reaching the semi-finals, Senthilkumar has repeated his achievement from the previous edition of the Asian Squash Championships. In 2023, he secured a silver medal after losing to Malaysia's Ng Eain Yow in the final. This year, he aims to go one step further and claim the title.
In the semi-final, Senthilkumar is set to face Hong Kong China's Lau Tsz Kwan, the second seed in the tournament.
While Senthilkumar's success is a positive sign for India, the other Indian participants in the tournament faced setbacks. Diwarkar Singh and Rahul Baitha were unable to progress past the round of 32, and Suraj Chand was defeated in the pre-quarterfinals. In the women's singles, none of the Indian players managed to reach the round of 16, especially after the withdrawal of Anahat Singh and Joshna Chinappa. Akanksha Salunkhe lost to Malaysia's Whitney Isabelle Wilson.