How World junior squash champion Anahat Singh broke a ‘curse’ 

It was a case of now or never for Anahat Singh. 

After multiple unsuccessful attempts, the supremely talented 18-year-old had one last crack at the World junior squash women’s title. And things finally fell into place in Ontario as Anahat carved her own piece of history by becoming the first Indian to hoist the individual prize. 

The ‘teen titan’ was both delighted and relieved to break the “curse”. “I still feel like I am dreaming. It (crown) means the world to me,” Anahat said after cruising past Ruqayya Salem of Egypt 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the summit contest. 

“This is the biggest event a junior can play in. I have been playing in it for four years, and it has not gone my way; I lost in the semis and quarters. If someone asked, I always said: ‘This tournament is a curse.’ But coming into the event, I knew that it was my last year in juniors and that I had to give my 100%. I am really glad that it worked out,” added Anahat, the force which put a halt to Egypt’s sustained dominance in the women’s category. 

The Delhi girl, who lived up to the top seed billing in the global competition, revealed that she played with a clear mind in the final. “I knew that I would play terribly if I stressed myself, so I just came on court and hit my lines well. Playing against Salem is always tough, but I wanted to enjoy every moment of a World championship final.” 

Anahat’s mentor Saurav Ghosal praised his ward for working her way to the top. “You finally put it all together when it mattered the most. Let this be another milestone in the journey to something much bigger,” wrote Ghosal, a former India men’s No. 1. 

Potential game-changer 

Anahat, ranked World No. 20 at the senior level, hoped that her triumph in World juniors would be a game-changer for Indian squash. “It is huge for Indian squash that someone from the country can play at this stage. If a few people watch my matches and the matches of other players in the event, we will gain a lot more recognition. India is a huge country, so if it reaches the right audience, squash can rapidly grow as a sport”.