Anahat Singh becomes first Indian World Junior squash champion in Ontario in 2026
Anahat Singh, 18, became the first Indian to be crowned World Junior squash champion in Ontario in 2026, defeating Ruqayya Salem in the final after beating three Egyptians in the knockout rounds.
Three years earlier at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, a 15-year-old Anahat had already drawn attention by becoming the youngest Indian Asiad medallist, and she carried that momentum into her final year on the junior circuit in 2026. Saurav Ghosal, then 37, nicknamed her “Miss Giggles” after she would laugh whenever she saw him at the Games; Ghosal was, the article notes, a three-time national champion before Anahat was born.
Anahat described her mindset during the Ontario event, saying: “I was a little stressed before the final, but honestly not as much as I expected to be. I had played her multiple times before and I had seen her play through the tournament as well. I felt confident about the way I had been playing through the week and the amount of training I had done. I knew it was just one last push.” She added that the fact it was her final junior opportunity “pushed me to give it my all and I don’t think I would have played this freely if it wasn’t. I knew how much it meant to check it off my list and I think that made a huge difference.”
Observers and coaches point to a blend of technical strengths and mental resolve as drivers of her success, citing her backhand, peripheral vision and reach alongside an intense focus on improvement. Her mother, Tani Vadehra Singh, said: “She is a happy-go-lucky kid who has also always been totally fearless. She has always been very particular about her discipline and her game, that hasn’t changed. But she has become a lot more mature as a person.” Ghosal added: “She’s fearless and believes very strongly that she can beat anyone in the world, a great quality to have. She’s also someone who hates losing, in a good way. She’s not a bad loser, she just hates it and so she wants to do everything she can to not have to feel that.”
Her coaching team and mentors have included Ritwik Bhattacharya, Gregory Gaultier, Stephane Galifi and Ghosal in a supporting role, with Gaultier saying: “Anahat has the approach of a champion. Whether she plays World No. 1 or No. 20, she steps on court to win, not just compete.” Galifi is quoted in the piece describing her movement as that of “a shrimp that moves like a lion with an eye to understand her opponent’s game before they actually do.” The article traces her sporting origins to an early affinity for badminton and idol worship of P.V. Sindhu.
The report also recounts personal details of her development and travel: her mother said the only times Anahat travelled without the family were for the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games because no one else was allowed in the Games Village, and that in earlier years she would not sleep alone. Tani added that the family is gradually allowing her more independence, noting they will continue to travel with her “till she herself says, ‘Okay, I’m good to go’.”
Ghosal offered a candid assessment of areas for continued growth, saying: “She is able to play the game in a way that a majority of girls do not, because she is multidimensional. But in terms of executing it every single day, there is still a bridge to be crossed, because it’s still not part of her soul. It’s not like she goes on to court and that naturally comes out every time. That kind of assimilation, that progression will be extremely important and I think that will be her biggest unlock as a player.”
Now out of the junior ranks at 18, Anahat is set to carry India’s squash hopes at Los Angeles 2028, and the article places her junior world title as a milestone on the path to senior-level competition.