Mumbai, Sept 1 (IANS): Asian Junior Champion Anahat Singh will lead the charge in the women's section of the 46th Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament 2023 to be held at the Bombay Gymkhana here on Saturday.

Maharashtra’s 29-year-old Mahesh Mangaonkar will be the top-seeded player in the men's section of the event while the 15-year-old Anahat Singh of Delhi will be the top seed in the women's section of the tournament that will end on September 6.

The Mumbai-based Mangaonkar is followed by compatriot Rahul Baitha, the second seed, while Services Sandeep Jangra and Suraj Chand also from Maharashtra are the joint third-fourth seeds in the 64-player draw.

In the 16-player women’s competition, teenager Anahat is followed by Maharashtra’s second seed Janet Vidhi while Anjali Semwal, also from Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu’s Rathika Suthanthira Seelan are the joint third-fourth seeds.

Bombay Gymkhana is organising this tournament under the aegis of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) and Maharashtra Squash Rackets Association (MSRA).

The Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament is one of India’s oldest and premier events in the calendar. A total of 530 players will be seen in action during this tournament, which will consist of 19 events.

Besides the men’s and women’s sections, competition will also be conducted for boys and girls in the U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 categories. In addition, the masters competition will consist of events for men over 35, over 45, over 55, over 65 and a pro-coach event.

The seedings:

Men: 1. Mahesh Mangaonkar (MH), 2. Rahul Baitha (MH), 3/4: Suraj Chand (MH), Sandeep Jangra (SR), 5/8: Adarsh Banodha (MP), Om Semwal (MH), Kanhav Nanavati (TN), Avinash Sahani (MH).

Women: 1. Anahat Singh (DL), 2. Janet Vidhi (MH), 3/4: Rathika Suthanthira Seelan (TN), Anjali Semwal (MH), 5/8: Sunita Patel (MH), Mahak Talati (MP), Bijali Darvada (MH), Nirupama Dubey (MH).