Anahat Singh Scripts History as India’s First World Junior Squash Champion

Anahat Singh secured a monumental milestone for Indian sports on Saturday by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 19-year-old prodigy from Delhi produced a clinical performance to defeat Egypt's Ruqayya Salem in straight games at Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. Singh dominated the final from the start, winning 11-3, 11-7, and 11-9. This victory marks the first time an Indian player has secured a world title at any competitive level in squash, ending years of near-misses for the nation.

This triumph carries significant weight as it shatters a 16-year streak of Egyptian dominance in the girls' singles event, with the last non-Egyptian winner being Amanda Shoby of the USA in 2010. Anahat Singh had previously struggled with what she described as a curse at this tournament, having been eliminated in the quarter-finals or semi-finals in her last four attempts. In 2025, she secured a bronze medal after losing in the semi-finals. However, in her final year on the junior circuit, she successfully surpassed the mark set by Indian legend Joshna Chinappa, who reached the final 21 years ago but finished with a silver.

Currently ranked 20th in the world, Anahat Singh is already a seasoned professional with multiple Asian Games medals. She credits her recent success to the mentorship of Indian squash legend Saurav Ghosal and coaching from former world champion Gregory Gaultier. Her historic win provides a massive boost to the sport's profile in India as squash prepares for its Olympic debut. Singh is now widely expected to lead India's medal hunt at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Her transition to the senior circuit as a world champion cements her status as the face of the next generation of Indian athletics.