Asian Games 2026 Squash Draw: Abhay Singh Gets Dream Route, Anahat-Tanvi Set for All-Indian Quarter-Final

The squash draws for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 are out, and India has plenty to look forward to in both the men’s and women’s singles competitions.

With the singles events also carrying huge significance as a qualification pathway for the LA28 Olympic Games, the stakes in Nagoya will be enormous. For India, the spotlight will firmly be on Abhay Singh, Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna, with all three handed realistic routes to make a deep run. The squash competition will be staged at the Nagoya Kinjo-Futo Arena, with the singles and mixed doubles events scheduled from September 23 to 27, followed by the team events from September 28 to October 2.

Abhay Singh enters the men’s singles competition as the second seed and, on paper, appears to have received a highly favourable draw. The Indian is currently ranked World No. 24 and is seeded behind only Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng, the World No. 18 and defending Asian Games champion. Pakistan’s Noor Zaman is the third seed, while India’s Veer Manish Chotrani is seeded fourth.

The most exciting possibility for Indian fans is an all-Indian semi-final between Abhay and Veer. Veer, ranked World No. 38, is on the opposite side of the draw from the top seed, meaning the two Indians could potentially in the semi-finals if they successfully negotiate their respective earlier rounds. For Abhay, the route looks particularly inviting. With the second seed avoiding Eain Yow until the final, the draw presents a major opportunity to reach the gold-medal match.

Anything less than a final appearance would arguably be a disappointment given his seeding and the route in front of him. Abhay has already been one of India's leading men's squash players, and the Asian Games provide him with the perfect stage to turn that status into an individual medal.

More importantly, a singles title in Nagoya would carry historic significance, with Abhay aiming to become India’s first-ever individual Asian Games squash champion.

Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna Could Meet in the Quarter-Finals

The women’s singles draw is equally intriguing, particularly from an Indian perspective. Anahat Singh is the third seed and enters the tournament as one of the leading contenders behind top seed Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia and second seed Satomi Watanabe of Japan. Anahat, ranked World No. 20, has established herself as one of India's brightest young squash players and will be expected to make a serious push for the podium.

However, standing in her potential quarter-final path is compatriot Tanvi Khanna. Tanvi is seeded seventh and ranked World No. 63. An all-Indian quarter-final between Anahat and Tanvi would guarantee India a place in the semi-finals, but it also means one of the country's strongest medal hopes would have to exit before the last four. It is a fascinating draw because Tanvi has little to lose and everything to gain. As the seventh seed, she has been placed among the tournament's better players, but a victory over Anahat would represent a significant statement.

If Anahat progresses through her side of the draw, the next major challenge could be Satomi Watanabe. The Japanese star is the second seed and World No. 6, making her the biggest threat to India's hopes of having Anahat reach the final. Watanabe also carries the advantage of playing a major tournament on home soil, which could add another layer to an already difficult challenge. At the top of the women's draw, Sivasangari Subramaniam is the player to beat. The Malaysian is the top seed and World No. 5 and, along with Watanabe, represents the benchmark for the field.

Anahat's potential route therefore looks considerably more demanding than Abhay's. But that is exactly what makes the women's draw so compelling.

Asian Games Squash Carries Olympic Significance

This year's singles competition is not just about Asian Games medals. The Aichi-Nagoya singles events will also serve as a qualification event for the LA28 Olympic Games, where squash will make its historic Olympic debut. The winners will become squash's first-ever Asian Games-linked qualifiers for the Olympic event, adding extraordinary significance to every match.

India's players therefore have an opportunity to make history on multiple fronts. The men's event features Eain Yow Ng, Abhay Singh and Noor Zaman among the leading contenders, while the women's competition is headlined by Sivasangari, Watanabe and Anahat. India will also be among the teams to watch in the team competition, where the men's squad featuring Abhay Singh, Veer Chotrani, Velavan Senthilkumar and Suraj Chand is the top seed.

The Asian Games squash draws have given India genuine medal opportunities. Abhay Singh appears to have the clearest path to the final, while Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna could produce one of the most intriguing all-Indian clashes of the tournament. For Indian squash, Nagoya could be more than another Asian Games campaign. It could be the beginning of an Olympic journey.