Velavan Senthilkumar Wins Maiden PSA Tour Title in Budapest After Stunning Run
Velavan Senthilkumar has achieved a major milestone in his squash career, winning his first-ever PSA Tour title at the Budapest Open 2026 in Hungary. The Indian produced a dominant performance throughout the tournament before defeating home favourite Balazs Farkas 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 in the final to lift the Copper-level title.
It was a remarkable way for Velavan to begin the new season, particularly considering the quality of opposition he overcame on his path to the trophy.
The Indian had to navigate a challenging draw that included former world No. 13 Rafael Kandra, Malaysia's Asian Games champion Eain Yow Ng and fellow Indian Veer Chotrani. Despite facing increasingly difficult opponents as the tournament progressed, Velavan continued to raise his level and eventually completed his campaign with an emphatic straight-games victory in the final.
The Budapest triumph is also the maiden World Tour title of Velavan's career and his best-ever PSA Tour achievement.
Velavan began his Budapest Open campaign against England's Will Salter in the opening round. The Indian wasted little time establishing control, winning the match 3-0 with game scores of 11-9, 11-6, 11-5.
While Salter managed to keep the first game competitive, Velavan gradually pulled away and controlled the contest as it progressed. The straight-games victory gave him the ideal start to what would become a memorable tournament.
The second round brought a significantly tougher opponent in Germany's Rafael Kandra, a former world No. 13. Velavan again showed his ability to handle pressure, eventually winning 3-1.
After taking the opening game 11-9, he dropped the second 6-11. Rather than allowing the setback to change the momentum of the match, Velavan responded strongly, winning the third game 11-7 before closing out the contest 11-2 in the fourth.
The victory over an experienced opponent demonstrated that Velavan was capable of producing his best squash when the stakes increased.
Dominant win over Eain Yow Ng
The quarterfinal presented another major test, with Velavan facing Malaysia's Eain Yow Ng, who was listed as the 18th-ranked player in the tournament and an Asian Games champion.
Velavan produced perhaps one of his most impressive performances of the competition. He defeated Ng 3-0, winning 11-2, 11-9, 11-8.
The Indian's ability to maintain his composure after a close second game was particularly important. Having established a significant advantage early, Velavan avoided allowing Ng back into the contest and completed another straight-games victory.
With that result, he moved into the semifinals with genuine title momentum.
Five-game thriller against Veer Chotrani
The semifinal delivered an all-Indian battle against Veer Chotrani. It proved to be Velavan's toughest match of the tournament.
Chotrani won the opening game 11-9, putting Velavan under immediate pressure. Velavan responded by taking the second 11-8 and then moved ahead by winning the third 11-7. The fourth game swung back decisively in Chotrani's favour as he levelled the match with an 11-1 win.
Everything therefore came down to a fifth game. Velavan showed tremendous composure in the decider. The two players traded points in a tense battle before Velavan eventually edged ahead to win 12-10.
The 3-2 victory booked his place in the final and secured his 15th PSA Tour final appearance.
Standing between Velavan and his first PSA Tour title was Hungary's Balazs Farkas, the local favourite. Farkas had the support of the home crowd and entered the final hoping to claim the Budapest Open title on home soil. But Velavan produced a near-perfect performance.
The Indian immediately took control of the final, winning the opening game 11-4. From there, his dominance only increased. He conceded just two points in the second game, winning it 11-2, before completing the championship with an 11-3 third-game victory. The final lasted only three games as Velavan completely controlled the contest.
A 3-0 victory over the home favourite meant there was no doubt about the identity of the champion.
The Budapest Open title represents a significant moment for Velavan Senthilkumar and Indian squash. The Indian's route to the trophy was particularly impressive because of the calibre of players he defeated. He overcame Will Salter, former world No. 13 Rafael Kandra, Asian Games champion Eain Yow Ng and Veer Chotrani before producing a dominant final against Farkas.
Across the tournament, Velavan demonstrated several qualities that are essential at the highest level: consistency, physical endurance, composure under pressure and the ability to recover from difficult moments.
His semifinal against Chotrani was the clearest example. After surrendering the fourth game 1-11, Velavan regrouped immediately and managed to win the deciding game 12-10.
That resilience ultimately proved decisive. For Velavan, the victory is more than another trophy. It is the first PSA Tour title of his career and a major statement at the beginning of a new season.
After years of progression through the professional circuit, the Indian has finally broken through.
And if the Budapest Open is any indication, Velavan Senthilkumar could be entering one of the most important phases of his squash career.
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