Key points
- Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the final of the Czech Open, a $35,000 PSA Copper-level tournament in Brno.
- The fourth-seeded Indian, ranked world No. 42, defeated French world No. 32 Auguste Dussourd 11-7, 12-10, 11-1 in the semi-finals.
- Velavan will face top seed and world No. 31 Greg Lobban of Scotland in the final.
- Velavan beat Argentina’s Jeremias Azana 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 in the quarter-finals.
- He defeated Brazil’s Diego Gobbi 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 in the second round after receiving a bye in the opening round.
India’s Velavan Senthilkumar has advanced to the final of the Czech Open in Brno, a $35,000 PSA Copper-level squash tournament. The fourth-seeded Indian will face top seed and world No. 31 Greg Lobban of Scotland for the title after defeating French world No. 32 Auguste Dussourd in the semi-finals.
Velavan, ranked 42 in the world, won the semi-final 11-7, 12-10, 11-1. He will now have the opportunity to claim the title against Lobban, who enters the final as the highest-ranked player in the draw. The supplied tournament report identifies the finalists and their rankings but does not provide the scheduled start time for the championship match.
Velavan gets past Dussourd in straight games
The Indian produced a straight-games victory over Dussourd to secure his place in the championship match. Velavan took the opening game 11-7 before edging a closer second game 12-10. He then closed out the contest emphatically, winning the third game 11-1.
The second game was the closest phase of the semi-final. After taking the first game, Velavan had to negotiate a tighter contest in the next before converting it 12-10. His dominant response in the third game completed the win in three games and confirmed his place in the final.
Dussourd was ranked world No. 32, while Velavan entered the tournament at No. 42. The Indian therefore secured his place in the final by beating an opponent ranked ten places above him. The result also continued a sequence of straight-games wins through the knockout rounds described in the tournament report.
Route to the final
Velavan entered the tournament as the fourth seed and received a bye in the opening round. He began his campaign in the second round against Brazil’s Diego Gobbi, winning 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 to move into the quarter-finals.
He then faced Argentina’s Jeremias Azana in the last eight. Velavan won that match 11-3, 11-8, 11-7, setting up the semi-final against Dussourd. Across those three matches, he won nine games and did not drop one.
The sequence of results shows how the Indian progressed from the second round to the championship match: a win over Gobbi, a quarter-final victory against Azana and the semi-final success against Dussourd. Each of those matches ended in straight games, giving Velavan a place in the final without needing a deciding game in any of the three contests.
Lobban awaits in the title match
Velavan’s opponent in the final will be Scotland’s Greg Lobban. The top seed is ranked world No. 31, making him the highest-ranked player among the two finalists. Velavan is ranked 42nd and was seeded fourth at the $35,000 event.
The rankings make the final a meeting between the tournament’s top seed and fourth seed. Lobban’s position as world No. 31 places him just one place above Dussourd, whom Velavan defeated in the semi-finals. Velavan will now face another opponent ranked above him as he seeks to turn his run into the tournament title.
The available report does not include Lobban’s route to the final, a scheduled match time or the eventual result. Those details are therefore not included here. The confirmed match-up is between Velavan, the fourth seed from India, and Scotland’s top-seeded Lobban.
A strong run at a PSA Copper event
The Czech Open is a PSA Copper-level tournament carrying a $35,000 prize purse. Velavan’s progress to the final is a notable result at the event, particularly after wins over opponents from Brazil, Argentina and France. The field has brought together players from several countries, and the Indian has advanced through the knockout rounds with a consistent run of straight-games victories.
For Indian squash, Velavan’s place in the final provides a result to follow at an international professional event. His performance in Brno has included wins over Diego Gobbi, Jeremias Azana and Auguste Dussourd, with the semi-final against the world No. 32 providing the latest step.
The final will give Velavan the opportunity to add the Czech Open title to his record. He will need to face the tournament’s top seed, but his route to the championship match has been efficient: a bye followed by three straight-games wins. The supplied report confirms the final pairing, while the outcome remains to be decided at the time of writing.
Frequently asked questions
Has Velavan Senthilkumar reached the Czech Open final?
Yes. India’s Velavan Senthilkumar has advanced to the final of the Czech Open in Brno, a $35,000 PSA Copper-level tournament. He reached the title match by defeating French world No. 32 Auguste Dussourd in the semi-finals.
Who will Velavan Senthilkumar face in the Czech Open final?
Velavan is scheduled to face Scotland’s Greg Lobban in the final. Lobban is the tournament’s top seed and is ranked world No. 31, while Velavan entered the event as the fourth seed and world No. 42.
What was the score in Velavan’s Czech Open semi-final?
Velavan defeated France’s Auguste Dussourd 11-7, 12-10, 11-1 in the semi-finals. Dussourd was ranked world No. 32, one place above Lobban’s ranking and ahead of Velavan in the world standings at the time of the tournament.
How did Velavan reach the Czech Open final?
Velavan received a bye in the opening round, then beat Brazil’s Diego Gobbi 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 in the second round. He followed that with an 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 quarter-final win over Argentina’s Jeremias Azana before defeating Dussourd.
What is the prize level of the Czech Open squash tournament?
The Czech Open in Brno is a PSA Copper-level tournament with a prize purse of $35,000. Velavan Senthilkumar reached the final as the fourth seed, where he is set to meet top seed Greg Lobban of Scotland.