Sarawak (Malaysia), June 20 (IANS) India’s title defence in the men’s doubles remains firmly on track after top seeds Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the final of the 3rd Asian Doubles Squash Championships on Saturday.

The defending champions produced two commanding performances to book their place in Sunday’s summit clash, where they will face Pakistan’s second-seeded duo of Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman.

Abhay and Velavan began the day by overcoming Japan’s Naoki Hayashi and Ren Makino 11-3, 10-12, 11-5 in a hard-fought quarter-final before raising their level in the last four to defeat Malaysia’s Sanjay Jeeva and Duncan Lee 11-7, 11-9.

Their run to the final follows an unbeaten group-stage campaign. The Indian pair topped Pool A after registering victories over South Korea’s Oh Seojin and MinWoo Lee, followed by a convincing straight-games win against Hong Kong’s Shing Fung Lam and Yat Long Chung.

India, however, endured disappointment in the women’s and mixed doubles events as both medal hopes ended in the semi-finals.

Second seeds Joshna Chinappa and Rathika Seelan were unable to get past Malaysian top seeds Ainaa Amani and Yee Xin Ying, losing 9-11, 7-11 to settle for bronze. Earlier in the tournament, the Indian pair had dominated Pool B, winning all four of their league fixtures, including a straight-games victory over Singapore’s Wai Lynn Au Yeong and Naisha Singh to finish at the top of the standings.

Joshna’s campaign in the mixed doubles also ended at the penultimate stage. Partnering Velavan Senthilkumar, the second-seeded Indian combination pushed Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani and Md Kamal before going down 8-11, 11-8, 8-11 in a closely contested semi-final. The result earned the pair a bronze medal, adding to their podium finish in the event last year.

The duo had entered the knockout rounds in impressive form after finishing unbeaten in Pool B, recording victories over Singapore and two South Korean pairings to emerge as group leaders.

India’s other men’s doubles pairing of Rahul Baitha and Suraj Chand failed to progress after suffering their second defeat in Pool B, losing to Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman, who will now stand between Abhay-Velavan and a successful title defence.

–IANS

vi/bsk/