5th time is the charm! Anahat Singh becomes 1st Indian to become Squash World Junior Champion

Sports Tak

UPDATED: Jul 26, 2026 08:15 AM IST

Sports Tak•

UPDATED: Jul 26, 2026 08:15 AM IST

India's Anahat Singh is congratulated by Egypt's Ruqayya Salem after her title win in the Squash World Junior Championships 2026 in Ontario, Canada.

Story Highlights:

Anahat Singh won the final in straight games.

No non-Egyptian player had won the title since 2010.

Anahat Singh scripted history on July 25 in Ontario, Canada, by becoming India's first squash player to win a title at the World Junior Championships. Anahat is India's first squash player to win a world title at any level (junior or senior). In the final, she registered an 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 win over second seed Egypt's Ruqayya Salem.

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Earlier, she was the only Indian to advance to the final of the world junior title. The first to do it was Joshna Chinappa in 2025. Interestingly, she faced an Egypt player as well. Raneem El Weleily had defeated her in Belgium.

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Delhi-born Anahat asserted her dominance at the start, winning the first game 11-3. In the second game, Salem put up a fight but Anahat won 11-7. In the third game, Anahat faced a challenge. At one point, Salem had taken an 8-6 lead. But, Anahat ended up winning the championship in straight games. In the third game, she won 11-9 to create history.

✨#AnahatSingh scripts history by becoming the country's first #squash player to win the junior world title after defeating Egypt's Ruqayya Salem 3-0 in the girls' singles final of the World Squash Junior Championships 2026 at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. pic.twitter.com/gJfHBVeuMo
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 26, 2026

Anahat breaks the curse

This was the fifth time Anahat was playing in the tournament. She expressed her frustration from previous defeats and the happiness of winning the title.

“I still feel like I am dreaming. This tournament has been the worst for me as I have been losing in semis and quarters every edition,” Anahat told Squash TV.

In the 2025 edition, she faced Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy in the final. She lost to Nadien in straight games. She went on to win the bronze model. 2026 edition in Canada was her last chance to win the title and she was able to break the curse.

“This tournament has been like a curse to me as I have been losing in semis and quarters. I knew this was my last chance to win this tournament,” she said.

While in the third game, she was trailing, Anahat revealed that she was unaware of the scores. She kept on focusing on her game, enjoying every moment of her last junior World Championships match.

Anahat ends Egypt’s 15-year dominance

She ended up breaking Egypt's long-running streak in the tournament. Since 2010 when USA's Amanda Shoby claimed the title, no non-Egyptian player had won it until Anahat.

Anahat's next target will be the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.