Anahat Singh Brings Home Bronze at World Junior Squash Championships

Historic Achievement for Indian Squash

New Cairo [Egypt], July 25: Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh has ended a 15-year drought for individual medals at the World Junior Squash Championships by clinching a bronze in the under-19 category.

The 17-year-old, who entered the tournament as the second seed in the women's singles, faced a tough defeat against Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy in the semi-finals, losing 3-0 (11-6, 14-12, 12-10) at the Black Ball Sporting Club, according to reports.

In the quarterfinals, Anahat showcased her skills by defeating Egypt's Malika Elkaraksy with a convincing score of 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-5), securing her place on the podium.

"After three consecutive quarterfinal exits, reaching the semi-finals this time feels amazing," Anahat expressed following her quarterfinal victory.

As the only Indian among the eight semifinalists, Anahat, ranked 54th globally and the reigning U19 Asian girls' champion, was the sole seeded player from India in the women's draw.

This year, she also claimed senior Asian titles in both women's and mixed doubles and made her World Championship debut in Chicago. Additionally, she has earned several PSA Challenger titles since winning two bronze medals at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022.

Anahat's bronze marks the first medal for India at the World Junior Championships since Dipika Pallikal's bronze in 2010.

Despite this achievement, no Indian has yet secured a gold medal at the championships, with Joshna Chinappa having previously won silver in 2005.

The ongoing championships feature 234 competitors, with individual events running until July 26 and team events until August 1. India has sent a contingent of 12 players, evenly split between men and women, for the competition. Notably, squash is set to debut at the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.