India’s squash sensation Abhay Singh has etched his name in the history books by reaching the quarterfinals of a PSA Gold event for the first time. At the prestigious Grasshopper Cup in Zurich, the 24th-ranked player pulled off a remarkable upset against Egypt’s formidable Ali Abu Elenen, ranked 13th globally.
The match was a rollercoaster. Singh found himself down 8-5 in the first game but rallied brilliantly to force a tiebreak, saving crucial game points before sealing it. Game two tested his mettle as Elenen fought back fiercely, yet Singh’s lethal backhand shots delivered a hard-fought 12-10, 11-9 win.
This isn’t the first time Singh has bested Elenen; he triumphed 3-2 in El Gouna just weeks ago. Post-victory, Singh praised his coach James Willstrop: “It was déjà vu. Jimbob’s strategy helped me overcome that early deficit.”
Next up is world No. 4 Karim Gawad of Egypt, who dispatched Auguste Dussourd 2-0. Singh’s path included a gritty three-game win over David Burnett (11-9, 9-11, 11-8), contrasting Ramit Tandon’s early exit against Fares Dessouky.
In other action, Ikram Pjares continued his hot streak, beating sixth seed Youssef Soliman straight-sets after ousting top Swiss Dimitri Sterman. Switzerland’s last hope, Nicolas Mueller, crashed out 2-0 to Joel Makin, ending home dreams amid multiple first-round disappointments.
