India’s representation at the World Squash Championships concluded when Veer Chotrani was defeated by Egyptian world No. 1 and defending champion Mostafa Asal in the men’s second round at Golf Central Palm Hills. Chotrani, ranked 45th globally, suffered a 5-11, 2-11, 4-11 loss, marking the end of the Indian challenge after earlier defeats by compatriots Abhay Singh, Ramit Tandon, and Velavan Senthilkumar in the first round.
Asal, reflecting on the match, acknowledged his familiarity with Chotrani from past encounters, highlighting Chotrani’s potential to surprise opponents. He expressed satisfaction with his own performance and readiness for the upcoming matches, emphasizing the significance of the tournament. India’s quest for a medal in singles events at the World Squash Championships remains unfulfilled to date.
In other results, the second seed and 2019 World Championship runner-up Paul Coll advanced by defeating France’s Baptiste Masotti in straight games 11-1, 11-7, 11-9. Coll is set to face Nathan Lake in the third round. Meanwhile, England’s Nathan Lake secured a spot in the tournament’s later stages for the first time since 2023 by overcoming Muhammad Ashab Irfan 3-0 (11-3, 14-12, 12-10). Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey, ranked 21st globally, also progressed to the third round with an 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 victory over No. 6 seed Victor Crouin.
