Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh scripted history by becoming the first player from the country to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 18-year-old defeated Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem in straight games in the girls’ singles final in Ontario, Canada, capping a dominant campaign with the biggest title of her young career.

Anahat Singh dominated the final

Top seed and world No. 20 Anahat lived up to expectations as she outclassed second seed Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the title clash. The Delhi teenager controlled the match from the outset, taking the opening game comfortably before maintaining her composure in the next two to seal the championship without dropping a game in the final.

The triumph also ended Egypt’s long-standing dominance in the girls’ event, making Anahat the first non-Egyptian champion since 2010. It marked a watershed moment for Indian squash, with no Indian having previously lifted the prestigious junior world crown.

Who is Anahat Singh?

Anahat Singh is one of India’s brightest young sporting talents. The 18-year-old from New Delhi turned professional in 2023 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise on the PSA World Tour, becoming one of the youngest players to break into the world’s top 20.

A multiple-time national champion, she has already won several PSA titles and claimed medals at the Asian Games despite her young age. Widely regarded as the face of India’s next generation of squash players, Anahat is also seen as one of the country’s strongest medal prospects ahead of squash’s Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Anahat Singh became the youngest to win World Junior Squash Champion.
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Anahat had already made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the World Junior Championship final since Joshna Chinappa’s runner-up finish in 2005. She bettered that achievement by going all the way and claiming the title on her fifth appearance at the tournament, adding another landmark chapter to Indian squash history.