Amarya Bajaj wins Dutch Junior Open U-13 title, beats England's top seed
Synopsis
At just 13, Amarya Bajaj has beaten the world No. 1 seed, the European No. 1, and England's top seed in a single tournament — winning the Dutch Junior Open 2026 U-13 title in Amsterdam. Weeks after a silver at the Asian Junior Championships, this is the kind of early international double that puts a junior on the world squash map.
Key Takeaways
Amarya Bajaj won the Dutch Junior Open 2026 Under-13 Boys' title in Amsterdam on 6 July 2026 .
He defeated top-seeded Daniel Stevenson of England 3-1 in the final.
En route to the title, he beat world No.
1 seed Kaelen Low (Singapore) and European No.
1 Alex Kosztyu (Hungary).
The victory follows a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Junior Championships in China — his second Asian Junior medal.
Bajaj achieved all of this at just 13 years of age .
Indian squash prodigy Amarya Bajaj clinched the Dutch Junior Open 2026 Under-13 Boys' title in Amsterdam on 6 July 2026, defeating top-seeded English player Daniel Stevenson 3-1 in the final to announce himself as one of the most compelling young talents on the international junior squash circuit.
A Champion's Path Through the Draw
Bajaj's run to the title was a masterclass in consistency under pressure. He opened with a dominant 3-0 win over an Egyptian opponent, followed by another clean 3-0 victory over England's Arlo Smith in the second round. The pre-quarterfinals brought his most striking result yet — a 3-0 dismantling of Kaelen Low of Singapore, the tournament's No. 1 seed.
In the quarterfinals, Bajaj edged past Egyptian player Badr Hassan 3-1 before producing arguably his finest performance of the week in the semifinals, blanking European No. 1 Alex Kosztyu of Hungary to book his final berth. The title-clinching 3-1 win over Stevenson completed an unbeaten run through one of junior squash's most competitive European draws.
Context: A Rapid Rise on Two Continents
The Amsterdam triumph arrives just weeks after Bajaj secured a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Junior Championships in China — his second Asian Junior medal. At just 13 years of age, he now holds both a continental silver and a major European title, a combination that few Indian juniors have achieved at this stage of development.
Notably, his victims in Amsterdam included the world No. 1 seed, the European No. 1, and two English players — nations that have historically dominated junior squash globally. This is not a regional win; it is a result that registers on the world junior rankings radar.
What It Means for Indian Squash
Indian squash has produced elite seniors — Saurav Ghosal reached a career-high world No. 10 — but a consistent pipeline of junior talent capable of winning on European soil has been harder to sustain. Bajaj's Dutch Open victory signals that the next generation may be arriving ahead of schedule.
The result also underscores the growing depth of Indian junior squash coaching infrastructure, which has quietly produced competitive players across age groups in recent international cycles.
What Comes Next
With two Asian Junior medals and now a Dutch Open title before his teens are barely underway, Bajaj is expected to feature prominently in upcoming PSA junior circuit events. Indian squash officials and fans will be tracking whether this early international consistency translates into a sustained ascent through the world junior rankings in the months ahead.
Point of View
The European No. 1, and the top-seeded finalist from England — all in the same week — is not a fluke draw; it is a statement. Indian squash has long struggled to convert junior promise into sustained senior performance, and the sport remains under-resourced relative to its medal potential. If the infrastructure around Bajaj keeps pace with his talent, this Dutch Open title could mark the beginning of something genuinely significant for Indian squash, not just another footnote in a junior results archive.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amarya Bajaj?
Amarya Bajaj is a 13-year-old Indian squash player who won the Dutch Junior Open 2026 Under-13 Boys' title in Amsterdam. He has also won two Asian Junior Championship medals, including a silver at the 2026 edition in China.
How did Amarya Bajaj perform at the Dutch Junior Open 2026?
Bajaj went unbeaten through the entire draw, winning 3-0 against his first two opponents, then beating world No. 1 seed Kaelen Low 3-0, Badr Hassan 3-1, European No. 1 Alex Kosztyu in the semifinals, and top-seeded Daniel Stevenson of England 3-1 in the final.
Who did Amarya Bajaj beat in the Dutch Junior Open final?
He defeated Daniel Stevenson of England, the top seed, 3-1 to claim the Dutch Junior Open 2026 Under-13 Boys' title in Amsterdam.
What other titles has Amarya Bajaj won recently?
Weeks before the Dutch Open, Bajaj won a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Junior Championships held in China. It was his second Asian Junior medal, making the Dutch Open title his first major European junior crown.
Why is Amarya Bajaj's Dutch Junior Open win significant for Indian squash?
The win is significant because Bajaj beat the world No. 1 seed, the European No. 1, and England's top seed — nations that have historically dominated junior squash — all in the same tournament at age 13. It signals the emergence of a new generation of Indian junior talent capable of competing at the highest international level.
