Anahat Singh Creates History! First Indian Ever to Win World Junior Squash Championship

Indian squash has a brand-new trailblazer. Anahat Singh has etched her name into the history books by becoming the first Indian ever to win the World Junior Squash Championship, defeating Egypt's Ruqayya Salem in a commanding straight-games victory at Ontario, Canada.The 18-year-old sensation produced a flawless display in the girls' singles final, winning 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 to lift the coveted title and achieve a milestone that had eluded Indian squash for decades.The victory marks one of the biggest moments in Indian squash history and signals the arrival of a young star ready to shine on the global stage.A Final Worthy of a ChampionEntering the tournament as the top seed and India's No. 1 player, Anahat lived up to every expectation. She controlled the championship match from start to finish, giving second seed Ruqayya Salem little room to recover.With powerful shot-making, remarkable composure, and tactical brilliance, Anahat wrapped up the contest in straight games, completing a campaign that was nothing short of extraordinary. Across six matches, she dropped just two games, which shows her dominance throughout the tournament.She began with a convincing straight-games victory over Australia's Lilly Wilson before overcoming Hong Kong China's Pui Yin Chloe Lo and Malaysia's Doyce Ye San Lee to reach the quarterfinals. The tougher tests came against Egypt's talented players. She defeated Habiba Rizk in four games in the quarterfinals and then she beat Barb Sameh, also in four games, to book her place in the final.Waiting there was another Egyptian challenger, Ruqayya Salem. But Anahat saved her finest performance for the biggest stage, sealing a historic victory in style.Ending Egypt's Golden EraThe triumph carries added significance because it ended Egypt's remarkable dominance in the girls' competition. Egyptian players had won every junior world title since 2011, making Anahat's victory even more remarkable.She also surpassed India's previous best performance at the tournament, improving on Joshna Chinappa's runner-up finish in 2005, which had stood as the nation's finest achievement for more than two decades. Last year, Anahat had already ended India's 15-year wait for an individual medal by winning bronze. This year, she returned determined to finish the job, and she did so emphatically.A Bright Future BeckonsAlready ranked World No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour, Anahat has shown that she is ready to compete with the very best. Her historic junior world title comes at the perfect time, with squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.For India, Anahat's victory is more than a championship win. It is a landmark achievement that inspires a new generation of young players to dream bigger, train harder, and believe that world titles are within reach.