CHENNAI: As the Paris Olympics was coming to a close, it was announced that the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 will include squash. Though it will be played as an optional sport, squash players are thrilled about the introduction.
From India, squash player, Velavan Senthilkumar with World No 101 ranking can be our best bet. He was recently seen playing at the MCC-VP Thirumurthy Memorial Interclub Squash Tournament 2024. He won the doubles along with Rajiv Reddy, a national champion.
The duo represented the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) opposed by Hemant Mehta, captain of the Madras Club and 15-year-old Mihir Bopanna from the Madras Club. “This is the first time a club other than MCC has reached the finals. Two pools were drawn. From A it was MCC and from B it was us (Madras Club),” shares Hemanth.
The first game set was won by MCC, the second by Madras Club, and the last by MCC, with a score of 15-12, in this two-hour-long game. “Sports teaches you to accept victories and failures in games and life. Madras Club gave a good fight, and it was a very nice superb game,” shares Hemant. For a 15-year-old, this game is an experience as he is opening against an experienced player, Senthil. “Mihir and Senthil are the champions of tomorrow. They are charged up and a bond is built,” he adds.
Seven teams from Chennai — five from different clubs and two MCC teams — came together under one roof from August 16 to 18 to compete in the 16th edition of the tournament. In these three days, singles and doubles matches were held wherein a combination of two singles and three doubles were played. “The tournament is conducted in memory of VP Thirumurthy, a member of the Madras Cricket Club. Squash is not a public sport and tournaments like this give limelight to the game” says Lakahminarayan S, member-in-charge of Squash at Madras Cricket Club.