Anil Dias

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Anil Dias

After an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Indian table tennis legend Achanta Sharath Kamal played his final international match on Saturday at the WTT Star Contender in Chennai, bidding farewell on his home turf. In an interview with The Indian Express, the 43-year-old talks about the road ahead for him, what needs to be done to grow the sport in the country, and more. Excerpts:Has it sunk in that you played your last international match? Not really, not at all, actually (laughs).

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Anil Dias

As Sharath bowed out earlier in the day, losing his Round of 16 match 0-3 (9-11, 8-11, 9-11) to 24-year-old Snehit Suravajjula — one of the many Indian paddlers who grew up idolising him — it became clear that he’s leaving the sport in safe hands. Stunning comebackReflecting on his win, Manav told The Indian Express that he had had close encounters with Jonghoon previously and knew he could find a way. “Both times, I had match points and still lost.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Anil Dias

After winning his semifinal of the Indian Open, Indian squash star Abhay Singh raised his fists in celebration and let out a victory cry. It was very unlike him to celebrate so fervently, but after a rather whirlwind year of transformation, it was more “relief than anything”. After winning gold (men’s team) and bronze (mixed doubles) at the Hangzhou Asian Games, Singh was happy but not content. Just months before winning those medals, Singh had wrestled with doubt. Was elite squash still his path?

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Anil Dias

Coming to the venue two hours before her match to work with a physio and warm up properly, and another hour with the physio after the match. At 38 and returning to competition after a knee surgery, India’s squash icon Joshna Chinappa is adjusting to a new reality. She has had to change the way she plays as well. The younger generation is eager to make a mark.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Anil Dias

Trailing the best-of-five match 1-2, and down 1-3 in the fourth, India’s squash sensation Anahat Singh pulled off one of the most impressive wins of her career in the quarterfinals of JSW Indian Open at the Bombay Gymkhana on Wednesday. It wasn’t that the opponent, 17-year-old Egyptian Nadien Elhammamy, was higher-ranked or a much better player, but having lost to her on two occasions in the junior circuit, Anahat had more than a point to prove.