CHENNAI: The city is all set to host the 79th edition of the HCL Senior National Squash Championship, a flagship event on the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) calendar, commencing Friday.

The week-long tournament starts on Friday and the grand final is slated for November 23 at the Indian Squash and Triathlon Academy in Chennai. This year, the Tamil Nadu Squash Rackets Association has partnered with HCL to organise the national-level event. Among the contenders for the coveted prize are renowned players like Abhay Singh, the gold medallist at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and Anahat Singh, the bronze medallist.

Returning to the Nationals after a hiatus since 2007, 31-year-old Ramit Tandon, ranked second in the tournament, is participating in the tournament for the second time. With an impressive record of four PSA titles and a peak global ranking of 33rd in 2023, Tandon brings a wealth of experience to the competition.

Defending Champion in women’s category Joshna Chinappa is not participating this year due to a knee injury.

“We are dedicated to fostering the growth of squash across the country. We look forward to a future where Indian squash players shine even more brightly on the global stage, and along with HCL, we are committed to bolstering the success of squash in India,” said N Ramachandran, Patron, SRFI, on the eve of the National Championships.