MUMBAI: The Women's Squash Association (WSA) and Professional Squash Association (PSA) Wednesday announced the sport's first professional circuit in India -- the JSW Indian Squash Challenger Circuit -- to be held in October across Jaipur, Mumbai and Chennai. 

The four-match series will draw talent from all over the world who will play a host of Indians. The circuit begins in Jaipur Oct 2 before moving on to Mumbai with the final scheduled for Chennai. 

Current Indian players are excited at this new opportunity. 

"The challenger series is a great platform for youngsters to hone their game by playing with some of the top players from across the world and I strongly believe that that the sport will benefit from it," said India's No.1 women's player Dipika Pallikal, who has committed to play in the third and fourth rounds of the series. 

Sanctioning this event, PSA and WSA, affiliates of the World Squash Federation (WSF), hopes to see this circuit as a constant fixture on the World Squash Tour. 

"The initiative is a fantastic one and will be of immense value to our fraternity and in particular to the young Indian professional players," said PSA CEO Alex Gough

(TOI)