India is assured of the men's title at the Indian Open 2026 as Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani reached the final after defeating their Malaysian opponents. In the women's event, top seed Anahat Singh will take on Egypt's Hana Moataz for the title.
India is assured of the men's title at the Indian Open 2026 after Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani advanced to the final with impressive victories in their respective semifinals on Saturday. In the women's competition, top seed Anahat Singh will face Egypt's Hana Moataz in Sunday's title clash.
All-Indian Men's Final Assured
According to a press release from the tournament, the second seed Abhay Singh overcame a strong challenge from Malaysia's Ameeshenraj Chandaran to win 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-8). In the other semifinal, fourth seed Veer Chotrani defeated another Malaysian, Sanjay Jeeva, also by a 3-1 margin (11-7, 11-5, 5-11, 11-6), setting up an all-Indian showdown for the title.
Abhay Singh Overcomes Malaysian Challenge
Abhay, one of the favourites heading into the tournament, was pushed hard by the unseeded Chandaran in a gripping encounter. The Malaysian matched the Indian shot for shot during long rallies, producing powerful forehands and clever, angled returns that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats.
Abhay began strongly, racing to a 9-4 lead in the opening game. Chandaran mounted a spirited comeback with five consecutive points to level the score, but the Indian held his nerve at the crucial moment to clinch the game 11-9.
The second game proved to be an equally tight affair. With Chandaran trailing 8-9, the Malaysian surged ahead with three straight points to take the game 11-9 and level the match. Abhay responded emphatically in the third game, dominating proceedings to win it 11-3. The fourth game saw another intense battle as Abhay fought back from 2-6 down to level at 7-7 before closing out the contest 11-8 to secure his place in the final.
Chotrani Books Final Spot
Later, Chotrani quelled a determined fightback from Jeeva to book his spot in the final. The Indian recovered from a slightly nervy start to win the opening game 11-7 and continued his dominance to claim the second 11-5. Jeeva bounced back in the third game with an 11-5 victory, but Chotrani regained control in the fourth to seal the match 11-6.
Anahat to Face Hana Moataz in Women's Final
Earlier in the women's semifinals, top seed Anahat defeated fellow Indian Tanvi 3-1 (11-6, 9-11, 11-8, 11-2) to advance to the final. Anahat dictated the early exchanges, taking the opening game comfortably before Tanvi fought back to level the match by winning the second. The third game saw Tanvi again start strongly, but Anahat gradually asserted her control with consistent shot-making and sharp movement around the court to win it 11-8. The top seed then dominated the fourth game completely, powering to an 11-2 victory to seal her place in the title clash.
In the other women's semifinal, Moataz defeated compatriot Nadien Elhammamy 3-1 (11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-7) in an all-Egyptian contest. After edging a closely fought opening game, Moataz lost the second before raising her intensity in the final two games to secure her spot in the final. (ANI)
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