Sixth-seeded Indian squash player Suraj Chand advanced to the men's quarterfinals of the Singapore Classic on Thursday, beating Australia's Benjamin Ratcliffe 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 in the second round of the PSA Challenger event. World No 111 Chand, who was crowned world university champion in August, will next meet Malaysian world No 60 Sanjay Jeeva, who beat Om Semwal 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 in the same round.

In the women's draw, third seed Tanvi Khanna, Sanya Vats and Rathika Seelan were eliminated in the second round.S2

Elsewhere on the domestic calendar, more than 350 players from 24 states will compete in the 82nd National Squash Championship at the Otters Club from November 16 to 22. The event is organised by HCL Sports in collaboration with the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) and carries a total prize purse of Rs 9.6 lakh. Asian Games individual silver medallist Abhay Singh is the top seed in men's singles, with Veer Chotrani seeded second and Suraj Chand also a prominent contender. In women's singles, Rathika Seelan is the top seed, followed by Nirupama Dubey, with Akanksha Salunkhe also among the leading contenders.S2

Nikhil Soni, Head of Brand and Marketing at HCL Group, said the 82nd edition brings together one of the strongest fields in recent years. The competition will be conducted under the latest World Squash Federation rules, and HCL Sports said its association with the SRFI aims to strengthen the country's squash ecosystem by supporting players, coaches and referees.S2