After being muted, the applause and cheers on the Express Avenue Mall grew louder as soon as India took on Hong Kong within the final tie of the night on the Squash World Cup on Tuesday.
The host, seeded two, turned on the warmth, a lot to the joy of passers-by and spectators alike, when it mattered because it took aside its opponent 4-0 in its first match in Group-B. It was a day when all the highest groups together with top-seeded Egypt, third seed Japan, and Malaysia, seeded fourth, gained their ties with ease.
Abhay Singh, ranked 72 and proprietor of seven PSA titles, was up towards 23-year-old Chung Yat Long, who’s but to bag a single title. After being routed within the first two video games, Chung confirmed resolve within the third by pushing the Indian to the corners. Tied 6-6, Abhay sealed it with a enormous forehand.
Joshna Chinappa put it throughout Fung Heylie in three straight video games within the second tie earlier than Saurav Ghosal, who offered a few jitters when he misplaced the primary sport to Andes Ling, roared again to win the remaining three. Tanvi Khanna eked out a robust five-game win over Toby Tse within the fourth and remaining match to assist India get off to a successful start.
The outcomes: India bt Hong Kong 4-0 (Abhay Singh bt Chung Yat Long 7-2, 7-3, 7-6; Joshna Chinappa bt Fung Heylie 7-1, 7-5,7-2; Saurav Ghosal bt Andes Ling 5-7, 7-2, 7-5, 7-1; Tanvi Khanna vs Toby Tse 5-7, 6-7, 7-1, 7-4, 7-3).
Japan bt South Africa 3-1 (Tomotaka Endo bt Jean-Pierre Brits 7-4, 1-7, 2-7, 7-3, 7-5; Satomi Watanabe bt Lizelle Muller 7-2, 7-1, 7-2; Ryunosuke Tsukue bt Dewald Van Niekerk 4-7, 7-5, 7-5, 7-3; Akari Midorikawa misplaced to Hayley Ward 7-5, 5-7, 1-7, 2-7).
Egypt bt Australia 4-0 (Karim El Hammamy bt Nicholas Calvert 5-7, 7-3, 7-0, 7-3; Fayrouz Abouelkheir bt Jessica Turnbull 5-7, 7-4, 7-4, 7-4; Aly Abou El Einen bt Joseph White 7-1, 7-6, 7-2; Kenzy Ayman bt Alex Haydon 7-5, 7-3, 7-4).
Malaysia bt Colombia 3-1 (Ong Sai Hung bt Alfonso Marroquin 7-2, 7-3, 7-4; Aira Azman bt Laura Tovar 5-7, 7-0, 7-3, 7-1; Darren Pragasam bt Juan Felipe Tovar Perez 7-2, 7-2, 7-2; Xin Ying Yee misplaced to Catalina Pelaez 6-7, 6-7, 7-2, 5-7).
