Ontario, July 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Newly crowned World Junior Squash champion Anahat Singh says winning the prestigious title in her final year on the junior circuit is a dream come true and the biggest achievement of her young career.
The 17-year-old created history by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship, defeating Egypt’s second seed Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the women’s singles final.
Reflecting on her triumph, Anahat admitted she was still coming to terms with the achievement after falling short in previous editions of the tournament.
“I still feel like I’m dreaming. I’ve been losing in the semis and quarters over the last four years. I’ve always said this tournament was a curse because I was never able to play well here,” she said after the final.
Calling it her last opportunity to win the title as a junior, Anahat said she focused on enjoying the occasion rather than letting pressure affect her performance.
“This is my last year as a junior and my only chance to win it. It means the world. I knew that if I got stressed, I wouldn’t play well, so I just wanted to enjoy every moment of playing in a world championship final,” she said.
Anahat’s victory also ended India’s long wait for a World Junior singles champion. She became the first Indian to reach the final since Joshna Chinappa in 2005.
Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) Secretary General Cyrus Poncha hailed the achievement as a historic moment for Indian squash, saying Anahat has the potential to scale even greater heights. He described the victory as the fulfilment of a long-held dream of producing a world champion in the junior singles event.
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