Zurich
Indian squash star Abhay Singh has reached a major milestone in his career by entering his first-ever PSA Gold-level quarterfinal. In a thrilling display of skill and grit at the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich, the World No. 24 pulled off a massive upset by defeating Egypt’s Aly Abou Eleinen, who is ranked 13th in the world.
The match was a test of nerves from the very beginning. In the opening game, Singh found himself trailing 8-5 but refused to back down. He fought his way back to level the score and showed incredible composure to save two game balls before winning a tense tiebreak. The second game followed a similar pattern, despite a strong comeback attempt from Eleinen, Singh utilized his powerful backhand to seal the victory with scores of 12-10 and 11-9.
This win marks Singh’s second victory over the Egyptian this month, following a similar battle at the El Gouna International. After the match, Singh credited his mentor, James Willstrop, for a tactical plan that helped him handle early deficits. “I had to show some real fight,” Singh remarked, describing the win as a moment of “deja vu.”
While fellow Indian Ramit Tandon exited in the opening round, Singh’s journey continues. He now prepares for a high-stakes showdown against World No. 4 Karim Gawad for a spot in the semifinals. As the competition heats up in Zurich, all eyes are on Singh to see if his giant-killing run can continue.