Anahat Singh stuns Nour El Sherbini at Silicon Valley Open in Redwood City

Anahat Singh defeated eight-time world champion Nour El Sherbini at the Silicon Valley Open in Redwood City, California, on Wednesday, recording what has been described as the 18-year-old's career-best win. The victory put Singh into the tournament quarter-finals.

Singh beat the world No. 3 in straight games, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7, completing the match in 30 minutes to advance at the USD 143,500 PSA Gold event. El Sherbini arrived in Redwood City as the tournament favourite and the top seed, while the contest marked the first time the Indian and the Egyptian had met on the professional tour.

Speaking after the match, Singh said she had long followed El Sherbini's career and acknowledged a shared coaching connection. "I've grown up watching every single match of hers," Anahat said. "We have the same coach, Greg, as well." "I admire her and want to achieve the things she has done in her career. She is an inspiration to all squash players," she added.

Singh also described the encouragement she received from India's national coach ahead of the match. "Going into the match, the national coach of India was here with me and he was telling me that I definitely do have a shot, if I was playing really, really well," she said. On the court, Singh said her pre-match expectations changed as the contest progressed: "Just getting to share a court with her, it was my first time. I didn't expect it to go like this. I thought I'll take a little while to settle in and understand how to play her," she said. "But the game plan ended up working pretty well and I just stuck through it. I still can't believe that it ended up on my side of the court," she added with a chuckle.

The result followed Singh's earlier opening-round victory over Nour Aboulmakarim at the Silicon Valley Open and capped a year in which she became world junior champion earlier in 2026. Still 18, Singh has moved from junior success to producing notable results against established senior players.

With squash set to make its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028, Singh's win at the Silicon Valley Open was cited in the report as another sign of her growing potential on the senior circuit.