Chennai, July 13 (IANS) Sanya Vats was the lone Indian to advance to the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai on Monday.

Fourth seed Sanya beat eighth seed compatriot Unnati Tripathi in four games in the women’s quarterfinals and will take on Egyptian top seed Rouqaia Othman in the last-four stage.

Earlier, second seed Indian Suraj Chand rallied to beat Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 in the men’s pre-quarterfinals of the event being played at the Indian Squash Academy on Sunday.

Men’s seventh seed Om Semwal and women’s third seed Rathika Seelan, fourth seed Sanya Vats, eighth seed Unnati Tripathi, and Pooja Arthi Raghu were the other Indians to advance to the quarterfinals.

Ananya Narayanan beat Janet Vidhi in four games in the women’s first round of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour-Chennai at the Indian Squash Academy in the southern Indian metropolis on Saturday.

Meanwhile, India’s Tanvi Khanna went from flat to fizzy after losing two games in quick time and turned the tables against Egypt’s Farida Walid to earn a creditable victory in the women’s final of the HCL-SRFI PSA Challenger Tournament at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club in Mumbai a few days back.

The 3rd-seeded Tanvi prevailed 8-11, 2-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 over her 2nd-seeded rival in a match that lasted 45 minutes, also avenging her 2-3 loss in January this year.

The men’s title was won by M. Syafiq Kamal, who defeated (2) Yassin Shohdy (Egypt) 3-2 (6-11, 9-11,11-8,14-12,11-8).

Results (quarterfinals; Indians unless specified):

Men: Md Syafiq Kamal (Mas) bt Hugo Jaen (Esp) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7; 1-Joachim Chuah (Mas) bt 7-Om Semwal 11-3, 11-5, 11-9; 4-Salah Eltorgman (Can) bt Wa Sern Low (Mas) 9-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-1, 11-4; Adham Roshdy (Egy) bt 2-Suraj Chand 8-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-7.

Women: 4-Sanya Vats bt 8-Unnati Tripathi 11-6, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8; 1-Rouqaia Othman (Egy) bt Pooja Arthi Raghu 11-9, 13-11, 11-7; 6-Hwayeong Eum (Kor) bt 3-Rathika Seelan 11-13, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5; Hana Aladdin (Egy) bt Thanusaa Uthrian (Mas) 7-11, 11-7, 11-2, 8-11, 13-11.

–IANS

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