New Delhi: Reigning women’s national champion Anahat Singh made a winning start at the China Open PSA event in Shanghai on Tuesday, while compatriots Velavan Senthilkumar and Abhay Singh lost in the men’s opening round.

Delhi teenager Anahat, ranked 38 in the world, beat Egypt’s Menna Hamed 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 in the Round-of-32 of the PSA Gold event, and will next meet Egyptian eighth seed and world No. 15 Sana Ibrahim.

Abhay lost to Baptiste Masotti, the French world No. 17, winning 11-8, 11-7, 11-4, while Senthilkumar went down to higher-ranked Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar 8-11, 12-14, 6-11.

Earlier, Anahat Singh did well at the Canadian Open, storming into the semifinals of the event. The 17-year-old advanced to the quarterfinals of the USD 96,250 PSA Silver tournament in Toronto with a

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