Did Anahat's Dream Run at the Canadian Women’s Open End in the SF?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Anahat Singh showcased remarkable talent and resilience.
- She achieved significant victories over higher-ranked players.
- Her semi-final match highlighted the challenges faced by young athletes.
- Georgina Kennedy recognized Anahat's natural ability in squash.
- Future prospects look bright for Anahat in the world of squash.
Toronto, Oct 30 (NationPress) India's promising athlete Anahat Singh saw her remarkable journey at the Canadian Women’s Open, a PSA Silver tournament, come to an end after a 3-0 defeat against England's top player Georgina Kennedy in the semi-finals.
Anahat, currently ranked World No.43, achieved significant victories leading to the semi-finals, including wins over World No.20 Melissa Alves and the defending champion, World No.7 Tinne Gilis.
However, the semi-final match against Kennedy was challenging for the young Indian star, as the World No.10 effectively countered her tactics, winning 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 in a match that lasted just 30 minutes to advance to the finals.
“Anahat has had an incredible tournament this week. I mentioned to my coach that her natural talent in squash is undeniable, especially her unique swing and ball control. It’s understandable for her to feel a bit fatigued after such a long week,” Kennedy remarked.
“I felt I had control throughout the match, but I was not pleased with how I concluded it. I attempted to finish too quickly and nearly lost my grip, but I'm just relieved to have made it through,” she added.
“I aimed to apply pressure on her, limiting her time on the ball to prevent her from utilizing her deceptive swing effectively. My short game worked well initially, but perhaps I overdid it towards the end,” she explained.
The Delhi teenager's impressive performance included her first win against a top 20 PSA World Rankings player, defeating Alves with scores of 12-10, 12-10, 8-11, 11-2 to reach the quarter-finals in her first Silver-level event.
She continued her strong showing, making it to the semi-finals of the USD 96,250 PSA Silver event with a decisive straight-game victory over World No. 7 Tinne Gilis.