Anahat Singh becomes first Indian to win world junior squash title
Anahat Singh has made history by becoming the first Indian to secure the World Junior Squash Championship title. Her victory came after a dominant performance against Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in the girls’ singles final at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, on Saturday. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian squash, ending a 13-year streak of Egyptian dominance in the tournament’s girls’ singles event.
In the final match, top seed Anahat defeated second seed Salem with a score of 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-9). This win not only earned her the championship but also improved upon India’s previous best result at the junior world championships, which was a runner-up finish by Joshna Chinappa in 2005.
Dominant Tournament Performance
Anahat Singh, currently ranked world No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour, maintained strong control throughout the entire tournament. She dropped only two sets across her six matches on her path to the title. Her campaign began with a 3-0 victory over Lilly Wilson of Australia, where she won her opening match with scores of 11-2, 11-1, 11-3.
Following her initial win, Anahat continued her strong form by defeating Pui Yin Chloe Lo from Hong Kong China and Doyce Ye San Lee of Malaysia to advance to the quarter-finals. Her initial three matches saw her progress without losing a single game, showcasing her early dominance in the competition.
The journey to the final included overcoming three consecutive Egyptian opponents. In the quarter-finals, Anahat defeated Habiba Rizk with a score of 3-1 (11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9). She then secured a 3-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6) victory against Barb Sameh in the semi-finals, setting up her final clash with Salem.
Ending Egyptian Dominance
Anahat’s triumph is particularly notable as it ended Egypt’s long-standing reign in the girls’ singles event of the World Junior Squash Championships. Egyptian players had consistently won the title for 13 consecutive editions, a streak that began in 2011. Her victory makes her the first non-Egyptian player to win the girls’ singles title since Amanda Sobhy in 2010.
This historic win follows Anahat’s performance last year, where she secured a bronze medal at the junior world championships in Cairo. That achievement had ended India’s 15-year wait for an individual medal at the event. This year, she advanced further, claiming the gold medal and becoming India’s first junior world champion in squash.
The World Squash Junior Championships 2026 also saw other Indian players make progress. On the opening day, seven Indian players advanced to the next round. Besides Anahat Singh’s strong start, Saanvi Kalanki booked her place after a five-game battle against Elcke Mols of the Netherlands, with scores of 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6. Anika Dubey also registered a straight-game victory, defeating Anna Kuwahara of Japan 11-7, 11-3, 11-5, while Rudra Singh received a walkover.
In the men’s section, the trio of Aryaveer Dewan, Yusha Nafees, and Gurveer Singh, who had received first-round byes, advanced to the third round of the men’s singles. Aryaveer secured a 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 win over Levi Visser of Germany. Yusha achieved an 11-1, 11-1, 11-1 victory against Matheus Frabetti of Brazil, and Gurveer beat Christian Dromgoole of Ireland 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
