Asian Games 2026: Abhay and Anahat Singh win Squash silver medals after finals disappointment

Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh (Pic: Asian Games)

India's quest for an individual squash gold medal at the Asian Games extended after both Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh settled for silver medals following hard-fought defeats in their respective singles finals on Sunday in Japan.

In the men's gold-medal clash, 28-year-old Abhay Singh fell 9-11, 5-11, 5-11 to Malaysia's world No. 17 Ng Eain Yow. Ranked 26th in the world, Abhay struggled to match the consistency of the defending champion. Though he started the third game with positive intent, Eain Yow regained control to seal a straight-game victory.

The result marked a historic milestone for Abhay, who joined Saurav Ghosal as only the second Indian man to reach an Asian Games singles final. The 2024 Arjuna Award recipient reached a career-high ranking of No. 22 in April 2026 and enjoyed a stellar season, winning the Indian Open in Mumbai and his third Tuanku Muhriz Trophy title in Malaysia, alongside winning gold at the 2025 SDAT Squash World Cup.

Anahat Singh suffers final heartbreak and settles for silver medal

Attention later shifted to 18-year-old prodigy Anahat Singh in the women's singles final, where she faced top Malaysian contender Sivasangari Subramaniam. Coming off a stunning semifinal comeback where she rallied from two sets down to defeat Japan's world No. 6 Satomi Watanabe (9-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6, 11-3), Anahat could not replicate that magic in the title match, losing 3-0.

The final match lasted just 27 minutes. Anahat dropped the opening two games by identical 4-11 scores before mounting a slightly more competitive effort in the third, ultimately falling 7-11.

While India's wait for a maiden individual squash gold at the Games continues, the twin podium finishes capped off a stellar campaign. Abhay's silver marked India's 31st medal, while Anahat's runner-up finish brought the nation's overall tally to 32 medals at the ongoing Asian Games, consisting of four gold, 14 silver, and 14 bronze medals.

Earlier in the day, India's hopes for badminton glory ended as PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda lost their singles match. Lakshya Sen had already lost his singles match earlier, signalling an end to India's badminton chances.

(With inputs from ANI)