Historic Triumph for India
Anahat Singh made history by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship, defeating Egypt's top seed Ruqayya Salem 3-0 in the girls' singles final. The 18-year-old Indian No. 1 dominated the match with scores of 11-3, 11-7, 11-9, capping a flawless campaign where she dropped only two games across six matches.
PM Modi's Congratulatory Message
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement in a post on X, stating, "A historic feat at the 2026 World Junior Squash Championship. Proud of Anahat Singh for winning the Gold Medal and becoming the first Indian squash player ever to win the World Junior Championship title. This accomplishment will further popularise squash among the youth." His message underscored the significance of the win for Indian sports.
Dominant Performance Throughout
Anahat began her tournament with a straight-games victory over Australian qualifier Lilly Wilson. She then defeated Hong Kong China's Pui Yin Chloe Lo and Malaysia's Doyce Ye San Lee to reach the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, she overcame Egypt's Habiba Rizk 3-1 (11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9). The semifinal saw her beat another Egyptian, Barb Sameh, 3-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6). Her consistent performance showed complete control, as she lost only two games throughout the competition.
Breaking Egypt's Streak
This victory ended Egypt's dominance in the junior girls' world championship, as Egyptian players had held the title since 2011. Anahat surpassed Joshna Chinappa's runner-up finish in 2005, which had been India's best result at the junior world championships for over two decades, according to Olympics.com. Last year, Anahat won bronze in Cairo, ending India's 15-year wait for an individual medal at the event. The draw opened up when four-time champion Amina Orfi of Egypt became ineligible for the junior category.
India's Other Contenders
Anahat was the only Indian to advance deep into the girls' singles draw. Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey, and Saanvi Kalanki exited in the round of 32. In the boys' singles, reigning Asian junior champion Aryaveer Dewan reached the last 16, while Yusha Nafees and Gurveer Singh were eliminated in the round of 32, and Purav Rambhia in the round of 64.
Road to Olympics
Anahat, currently ranked No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour, now aims to build on this historic achievement as squash prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Her success is expected to inspire a new generation of squash players in India.
