Anahat Singh wins World Junior squash title in her final junior year
Synopsis
Anahat Singh did what no Indian woman had managed in two decades — win the World Junior squash title. Facing her last chance in the junior circuit, she dismantled Egypt's second seed in straight games at Ontario. It is the individual world title that SRFI's late patron N. Ramachandran had long dreamed of, and it signals India's arrival as a junior squash powerhouse.
Key Takeaways
Anahat Singh became India's first World Junior squash champion in the women's singles on 26 July in Ontario .
She defeated Egypt's Ruqayya Salem (second seed) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the final.
Anahat is the first Indian woman in the World Junior final since Joshna Chinappa in 2005 .
20 , this was her final year in the junior circuit and her last opportunity to win the title.
SRFI secretary-general Cyrus Poncha called it a 'dream come true' and paid tribute to the late N.
Ramachandran 's vision for Indian squash.
Anahat Singh on 26 July became India's first World Junior squash champion in the women's singles, defeating Egypt's second seed Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the final at Ontario. The victory makes her the first Indian woman to reach and win the World Junior final since Joshna Chinappa in 2005 — a gap of two decades.
A Title Won on the Last Chance
Ranked World No. 20, Anahat had entered the tournament as a bronze medal-winning semifinalist from the previous year. This edition, however, was different — it was her final year in the junior circuit, making the title her only remaining shot at the crown.
'I still feel like I'm dreaming,' Anahat said after the win. 'I've been losing in the semis and quarters over the last four years. I've always said, if anyone's asked, 'This tournament's a curse,' and I've never been able to play well in the event.'
She added: 'This is my last year (as a junior) and my only chance to win it. It means the world. So, I knew if I'm stressed, I play terribly, so I just came out on court and hit my lines well… I wanted to enjoy every moment of getting to play in a world championship final.'
The Road to the Final
Anahat's run through the draw was commanding. A former quarter-finalist and semifinalist at the same event in previous editions, she strung together a series of convincing victories before dispatching Salem in straight games. The scoreline — 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 — reflected both her clinical execution and her composure in the decider.
Notably, this is only the second time in the tournament's history that an Indian player has reached the women's singles final, underscoring the scale of the achievement.
What the Federation Said
Cyrus Poncha, secretary-general of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), described the triumph as a defining moment for the sport in the country.
'It's a historic moment for Indian squash. Anahat has the potential to reach great heights,' Poncha said. He also paid tribute to the late N. Ramachandran, SRFI patron and founder of the Indian Squash Academy, who had long envisioned an individual world champion from India. 'We achieved it in doubles, but to replicate that success in singles, it is really a dream come true,' Poncha added.
What This Means for Indian Squash
India has produced elite squash players — most notably Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa at the senior level — but an individual junior world title had remained elusive. Anahat's win signals a generational shift, with a structured junior pipeline now delivering at the highest level. As she transitions to the senior circuit full-time, the expectation is that her game will only deepen against older, higher-ranked competition.
Point of View
And this was her last eligible year. That she delivered under that pressure, in straight games, suggests a mental maturity that will matter far more on the senior tour than any ranking point. The real question now is whether Indian squash's support infrastructure — coaching, international exposure, funding — can scale with her trajectory, or whether this becomes another isolated peak rather than the start of a sustained era.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anahat Singh and what did she win?
Anahat Singh is an Indian squash player ranked World No. 20 who won the World Junior squash championship in the women's singles on 26 July in Ontario, Canada. She is the first Indian to win this title in the individual category.
Who did Anahat Singh beat in the World Junior squash final?
Anahat defeated Egypt's second seed Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in straight games to claim the title. The result was emphatic, with Anahat winning all three games without dropping a set.
Why is this victory historically significant for Indian squash?
It is the first time an Indian woman has won the World Junior squash singles title. The last Indian woman to even reach the final was Joshna Chinappa in 2005, making this only the second such final appearance in over two decades.
What did Anahat Singh say after winning the title?
Anahat said she still felt like she was dreaming, and described the title as meaning 'the world' to her. She acknowledged that the tournament had felt like a 'curse' in previous years, where she had repeatedly lost in the semifinals and quarterfinals.
What has the Squash Rackets Federation of India said about the win?
SRFI secretary-general Cyrus Poncha called it a historic moment and said Anahat has the potential to reach great heights. He also paid tribute to the late N. Ramachandran, SRFI patron, whose dream of an individual world champion from India has now been fulfilled.
