Anahat Singh Becomes First Indian To Win World Junior Squash Championship

Anahat Singh Scripts Historic Victory

Indian squash player Anahat Singh has etched her name into the history books by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 18-year-old achieved the milestone at the 2026 World Squash Junior Championships held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Anahat delivered a dominant performance in the girls’ singles final, defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem in straight games. She secured the championship with an impressive scoreline of 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 to claim the biggest title of her junior career.

Ends Egypt’s Long Reign

The victory carried added significance as it ended Egypt’s 13-year dominance in the girls’ singles category at the prestigious tournament. Entering the event as the top seed, Anahat lived up to expectations and completed a flawless campaign to become India’s first individual world junior squash champion.

Her triumph marks a major milestone not only for her career but also for Indian squash, which has long searched for a breakthrough moment at the junior world level.

“It Means The World To Me”

Following her historic win, Anahat expressed her joy and disbelief at achieving the feat. She said the title “means the world” to her and admitted that the victory still felt like a dream. The young athlete revealed that she had previously struggled to get past the quarterfinal and semifinal stages at the tournament. Winning the title in her final year as a junior made the achievement even more special. Anahat shared that she entered the final determined to stay relaxed, enjoy the occasion, and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on herself.

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A Rising Star Of Indian Sport

Born in Delhi, Anahat Singh has rapidly emerged as one of India’s brightest sporting talents. She became the youngest member of India’s contingent at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and later won two bronze medals at the Asian Games.

She was also part of the Indian team that lifted the Squash World Cup in 2025, further establishing herself as one of the country’s most promising athletes.

A Boost For Indian Squash

Anahat expressed hope that her historic achievement would bring greater recognition to squash in India and inspire more young athletes to take up the sport. Squash Rackets Federation of India secretary-general Cyrus Poncha described the victory as a landmark moment for Indian squash and praised Anahat’s immense potential for the future.

With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Anahat Singh’s world junior title has further strengthened hopes of India becoming a major force on the global squash stage.