Asian Games: Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh take silver in Nagoya and reflect on lessons
India’s Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh finished with silver medals in the women’s and men’s singles squash finals at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya on September 27, 2026. Both players acknowledged they were outplayed in their finals and offered candid assessments of what they learned from the individual tournament.
The pair had been viewed as potential disruptors of the Asian squash order but stalled in their respective finals against Malaysian reigning champions Sivasangari Subramaniam and Ng Eain Yow. Both admitted their opponents were superior on the day, and Abhay’s silver was his first individual medal at a big event. The losses prompted immediate reflection from both players on experience and handling pressure at major stages.
“There’s a lot I have learnt from this event... I am just getting to learn how to handle being on these top stages. “I played my match yesterday (Saturday 26, 2026), and there have not been many instances where I have come back from being down. It’s always the other way around. I am just learning how to handle the pressure of playing against more experienced players,” disappointed Anahat said.
Initially not interested in speaking, Abhay dismissed his silver as inconsequential: “I am disappointed with the result; it means nothing, to be really honest. I didn’t come here for silver, so there’s nothing to celebrate,” he said.
On accepting his opponent’s superiority, Abhay added: “He (Eain) was just better all around. Sometimes you need to put your hand up and give credit to your opponent; he deserved to win. I was short of answers, but that goes down to his abilities and how he put them forward,” Abhay admitted.
Anahat assessed the margin between her and Sivasangari and criticised her own performance: “There is still a lot to improve on. Not everyone realises, but even between No. 5 and 6, there is a huge difference. It’s when you are inside the court that you feel the pressure... the way she (Sivasangari) dominated, there was not much for me to do; she was incredible. I am not happy with the way I played today; I feel I could’ve done a lot better.”
“I am going to play Sivasangari many times in the future... she’s on the PSA Tour, she’s fifth in the world and an amazing player,” Anahat said, signalling that further encounters with the reigning champion are expected as she seeks to close the gap.