Anahat Singh, Aryaveer Dewan reach round-of-16 at World Junior Squash Championships
Synopsis
Women's top seed Anahat Singh is two wins away from making history as India's first-ever junior world squash champion, after a commanding straight-games win in Ontario. Aryaveer Dewan is also through to the last 16, keeping India's flag flying in the men's draw.
Key Takeaways
Anahat Singh , women's top seed, beat Hong Kong's Pui Yin Chole Lo 11-3, 11-1, 11-3 to reach the round-of-16.
Aryaveer Dewan (5/8 seed) defeated South Africa's Joseph Feast 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 to advance.
Anahat faces Malaysian 13/16 seed Doyce Ye San Lee next; Aryaveer faces American 9/12 seed Yaseen Shalaby .
Five Indians — Gurveer Singh, Yusha Nafees, Saanvi Kalanki, Rudra Singh , and Anika Dubey — exited in the round-of-32.
Brazil's Laura Silva produced the day's biggest upset, recovering from 2-0 down to win 3-2 .
India's Anahat Singh and Aryaveer Dewan both advanced to the round-of-16 at the World Squash Junior Individual Championships in Ontario on 22 July, keeping India's hopes alive at the marquee junior event. Anahat, the women's top seed, is chasing history as she bids to become India's first-ever junior world champion.
Anahat Marches On
Anahat Singh made short work of Hong Kong's Pui Yin Chole Lo in the round-of-32, winning in straight games 11-3, 11-1, 11-3. The dominant display underlined why she carries the top seeding in the women's draw. She will next face Malaysian 13/16 seed Doyce Ye San Lee, who herself progressed after defeating the Netherlands' Renske Huntelaar.
Aryaveer Dewan Eases Through
Aryaveer Dewan, seeded 5/8 in the men's draw, dispatched South Africa's Joseph Feast in clinical fashion, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3, without dropping a game. His next opponent will be American 9/12 seed Yaseen Shalaby in the last 16.
Other Indian Exits
Not all Indians progressed on Day 2. Gurveer Singh fell to Egypt's 2-seed Adam Hawal (11-6, 11-8, 11-3), while Yusha Nafees lost to Malaysia's Nickhileswar Moganasundharam (11-9, 11-7, 11-8). In the women's draw, Saanvi Kalanki was beaten by Belgium's Savannah Moxham (11-7, 11-4, 11-2), Rudra Singh went down to Egypt's 3/4-seed Barb Sameh (11-5, 11-6, 11-1), and Anika Dubey lost to Hong Kong's Tsz Ching Cheung (11-6, 11-7, 11-5).
Day 2 Highlights From Around the Draw
The standout moment of the day came from Brazil's Laura Silva, who staged a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 and book her place in the last 16. Malaysia's Harleein Tan also recovered from 2-1 down against Canada's Wing Kai Gladys Ho to advance. England's Dylan Roberts beat Malaysia's Ivan Jia Yu Chang, while Hong Kong's Helen Tang secured her spot with a straight-games win over Australia's Sarbani Maitra (11-6, 11-3, 11-3). Elsewhere, Pakistan's Nauman Khan beat England's Gabriel Chak 3-1, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Alnasfan progressed in straight games over Japan's Shunsaku Kariyazono, and Egypt's Habiba Rizk moved through with a win over France's Leelou Laporte.
What's Next
With the round-of-16 fixtures set, all eyes will be on Anahat Singh as she pushes for a historic title. A strong run from Aryaveer Dewan would further cement India's growing presence on the junior squash circuit.
Point of View
And the women's top seeding makes her the most credible shot yet. Aryaveer Dewan's clean sweep of Feast is encouraging, but the draw toughens sharply from the last 16 onward. India's depth concern is real — five of seven players exited in the round-of-32, and the burden of expectation now rests almost entirely on two athletes.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Anahat Singh and Aryaveer Dewan?
Anahat Singh is India's top-ranked junior women's squash player and the top seed at the World Junior Squash Individual Championships. Aryaveer Dewan is a 5/8-seeded Indian junior in the men's draw, both competing in Ontario in July 2025.
How did Anahat Singh perform in the round-of-32?
Anahat Singh beat Hong Kong's Pui Yin Chole Lo in straight games, 11-3, 11-1, 11-3, without dropping a single game. The result was a commanding display befitting her top seeding.
Who does Anahat Singh face in the round-of-16?
Anahat will face Malaysian 13/16 seed Doyce Ye San Lee in the round-of-16. Lee progressed after beating the Netherlands' Renske Huntelaar in the round-of-32.
Which Indian players were eliminated in the round-of-32?
Gurveer Singh, Yusha Nafees, Saanvi Kalanki, Rudra Singh, and Anika Dubey all lost to higher-seeded opponents and exited in the round-of-32.
What is the significance of Anahat Singh's campaign?
Anahat Singh is attempting to become India's first-ever junior world squash champion, a historic milestone that has eluded Indian players at this championship. Her straight-games win in the round-of-32 keeps that pursuit firmly on track.
