Who is Anahat Singh ? Indian Gen Z prodigy who scripted history after winning World Junior Squash Championship
PTC News Desk: India's top-ranked squash player Anahat Singh said winning the World Junior Squash Championship "means the world" after becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious junior singles title in Ontario, Canada.
The world No. 20 defeated Egypt's Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the women's singles final on Saturday, ending India's long wait for an individual junior world champion. The victory was especially meaningful as it came in her final year as a junior player.
"It means the world. I still feel like I'm dreaming," Anahat said after lifting the trophy.
The 18-year-old revealed that the tournament had been a source of frustration over the past four years after repeated quarter-final and semi-final exits.
"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 said.
"This is my last year as a junior and my only chance to win this title. It means the world to me," Anahat said.
The Delhi teenager said she stayed calm before the final and focused on enjoying the match.
"I knew that if I got stressed, I wouldn't play well. So I just focused on my game, hit my shots well, and wanted to enjoy every moment of playing in a World Championship final," she said.
Top seed Anahat controlled the match from the start and won the title in straight games.
Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) Secretary-General Cyrus Poncha described the victory as a historic achievement for Indian squash.
"This is a landmark moment for Indian squash. Anahat has the talent to achieve even greater success in the future," Poncha said.
He also remembered late SRFI patron N. Ramachandran, who had always dreamed of seeing an Indian become an individual world champion.
"Mr. N. Ramachandran always believed India would one day produce an individual world champion. We had already achieved success in doubles, but winning a singles world title is truly a dream come true. Anahat's hard work has been outstanding, and she has also had the support of the entire nation throughout her journey," he added.
- With inputs from agencies
