India’s Om Semwal defeated Spain’s Hugo Jaen 15-13, 8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 in the men’s opening round of the PSA Challenger Tour-Mumbai at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana (JCPG) Club. The tournament, featuring top singles stars Velavan Senthilkumar and Tanvi Khanna, both ranked No. 3 in India, will see action from 15 countries and will conclude on July 3.
The PSA Challenger event includes separate men’s and women’s competitions, each offering a prize purse of USD 15,000 and valuable ranking points. Hong Kong’s Alex Lau and South Africa’s Hayley Ward are the top players in the 24-player draw. India’s Velavan Senthilkumar (Rank 50) is seeded second among the men, while Tanvi Khanna (Rank 75) is seeded third. The JVPG Club, hosting the event, boasts three air-conditioned glass-backed squash courts, with two for matches and one for practice. Additional facilities like a gymnasium and swimming pool are available to players.
The tournament also witnessed other results in the first round, with notable performances from players like Salah Eltorgman, Md Syafiq Kamal, and Shameena Riaz. A Gala Dinner to welcome players and officials will be hosted by JVPG on June 30.
