Abhay Singh, Anahat Singh Storm Into Asian Games 2026 Squash Finals, Assure India of Two Medals
India's squash campaign at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya delivered a big morning on Saturday, with both Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh winning their semifinals to reach the singles finals and guarantee the country at least two more medals at these Games.
Abhay Singh books his final spot
In the men's singles semifinal, Abhay Singh produced a clinical, straight-games win over Pakistan's Muhammad Ashab Irfan, closing it out 11-3, 12-10, 11-6. The Indian player controlled the tempo from the opening game and never let his opponent settle, sealing his place in Sunday's gold medal match. He will face the winner of the other semifinal, contested between Malaysia's Eain Yow Ng and Pakistan's Noor Zaman.
Beyond the medal itself, Sunday's final carries extra significance: squash is set to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, and a gold-medal finish at these Asian Games would hand Abhay Singh direct qualification eligibility for that Olympic tournament, sharpening the stakes of the title clash considerably.
Anahat Singh's comeback for the ages
The women's singles semifinal produced an even more dramatic finish. Anahat Singh, up against Japan's world number six Satomi Watanabe, found herself down two games to none after two tightly contested openers. Facing possible elimination in the third game, she saved two game points while trailing 8-10, dug in to win that game 12-10, and then took the fourth 11-6 to level the match. She carried that momentum into the decider, dominating it 11-3 to complete a full turnaround and seal a 3-2 win overall.
The victory sends Anahat Singh into the women's singles final, where India will again have a shot at gold, with the same Olympic qualification incentive on the line for LA 2028.
Building on a strong Games for India
The two results add to what has already been a productive campaign for Indian squash and for the country's broader medal push at these Games, coming on the same weekend that India's contingent has been chasing golds and medals across kabaddi, badminton and other disciplines in Japan. With both Singhs through to Sunday's finals, India's squash medal tally for these Asian Games is set to grow further, with genuine chances at gold in both the men's and women's singles events.
Attention now turns to Sunday, when both finals will be played out in Nagoya, offering India a realistic shot at a squash gold to go with the guaranteed silver, and, for the winners, a head start on the road to Los Angeles 2028.
This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.
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