HCL SRFI PSA Challenger 2023: Top-seeds Abhay Singh, Amina Orfi progress; Sandhu knocked out

New Delhi, Jan 30: Top seeds Abhay Singh of India and Amina Orfi of Egypt continued their winning momentum on day three of the HCL-SRFI PSA Challenger on Monday (January 30).

The PSA Challenger squash tournament, held at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, saw both the top-seeded players in the competition prevail in the round of eight in their respective events.

India's ace squash player Abhay defeated Hoony Lee of Korea in three straight games inside 26 minutes and stamped his authority. Matthew Lai of Hong Kong prevailed over Toufik Mekhalfi of France 3-0 in the match which lasted for 27 minutes.

Abhay's compatriots Sandeep Ramachandran and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu couldn't progress to the next round as they suffered defeats in the quarter-finals.

Ramachandran went down 3-0 to Japanese Tomotaka Endo while Sandhu lost 1-3 against Yassin Elshafei of Egypt in a game which lasted for 46 minutes.

Meanwhile in the women's category, Egypt's teenage sensation Amina Orfi - who won the PSA Tour in Jodhpur - prevailed over compatriot Malak Fathy 3-0 in a contest which lasted for 34 minutes. In a game which was the second-longest game of the day in the women's category, the 15-year-old stamped her authority to enter the semis.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Nour Ramy got the better of her compatriot Salma El Alfy 3-1 in a match which went for 36 minutes.

Tanvi Khanna kept India's challenge in the women's category alive as she defeated Egypt's Nadeen Kotb 3-0 and progressed to the round of four.

Here are the results from Day 3:

Men's Event

Abhay Singh (IND) v Hoony Lee (KOR) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (26m) 3-0

Matthew Lai (HKG) v Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 (27m) 3-0

Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) v Tomotaka Endo (JPN) 8-11, 6-11, 5-11 (25m) 0-3

Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) v Yassin Elshafei (EGY) 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 10-12 (46m) 1-3

Women's Event

Amina Orfi (EGY) v Malak Fathy (EGY) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (34m) 3-0

Menna Walid (EGY) v Jelena Dutina (SRB) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (16m) 3-0

Nour Ramy (EGY) v Salma El Alfy (EGY) 11-8, 3-11, 11-2, 11-7 (36m) 3-1

Tanvi Khanna (IND) v Nadeen Kotb (EGY) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (28m) 3-0.