Anahat Singh becomes first Indian to win World Junior Squash Championship

Indian squash player Anahat Singh won the World Junior Squash Championship on Saturday, defeating second seed Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in the final. The match, held in Ontario, Canada, ended with scores of 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in favour of the 19-year-old from Delhi.

With this victory, Singh became the first Indian to win a world squash title at any level. She had previously reached the final of the same tournament, becoming only the second Indian woman after Joshna Chinappa to do so. Chinappa had won a silver medal in 2005.

Singh started the final strongly, winning the first game 11-3. She maintained her lead in the second game, taking it 11-7. In the third game, Salem mounted a challenge, leading 8-6 at one point. However, Singh recovered to win 11-9 and secure the title.

This was Singh's fifth attempt at the World Junior Championships. In her previous appearances, she had reached the quarter-finals three times and the semi-finals once. In 2025, she lost in the semi-finals to Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy.

"I still feel like I am dreaming. This tournament has been difficult for me as I have been losing in semis and quarters every edition," Singh said after the match. She added that she knew this was her last chance to win the junior title, as she will now move to the senior circuit.

Singh turned professional at age 16 and currently holds a world ranking of 20. She has won multiple medals at the Asian Games. Her coach is former world champion Gregory Gaultier, and she is mentored by Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal.

The victory also ends a long period of Egyptian dominance in the tournament. Singh is the first non-Egyptian winner since Amanda Sobhy of the United States in 2010. Egypt's players had won the previous 15 editions.

Singh is expected to be a key contender for India at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where squash will make its Olympic debut.