India’s 16-year-old squash prodigy Anahat Singh was the top seed at the year’s British Open Juniors in the U17 category. But she had to navigate a tough path before clinching her first title in that age-group, tackling three Egyptians, always the toughest bunch of squash players.
Twenty-two years after Joshna Chinappa made history for India claiming the British Juniors U17, Anahat matched her compatriot’s feat at the Birmingham University glass courts.
With squash slated to debut at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, Anahat’s third British Open title, having picked earlier ones in U11 and U15 categories, is shaping up into a fine career trajectory. It was also a memorable comeback after losing last year’s final.
“I’m feeling really happy. It’s my third time winning this. I lost last year in three close games. I’m really happy I could win this time before I go into a higher category,” she told the British Open website.
While the World Juniors are the ultimate target for U19s, it had been important for the Indian to enter Birmingham as the top seed and justify her top billing, amidst an array of talented Egyptian youngsters.
In the final on Monday, she defeated Egypt’s Malika Elkaraksy 3-2 (4-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-3). Twice she came back from trailing positions to display her fighting spirit. The Egyptians are famously dogged opponents, fearless and skilled in their shot-making and unfeeling of rankings.
Still, the 16-year-old Indian wouldn’t have wanted a second straight finals loss, after falling short against Egypt’s Nadien Elhammamy in the U17 final last year. She upped the ante against Malika in the final game to kickstart her 2025 season.
After starting her campaign with a straight-games victory over unseeded Frenchwoman Sarah Guyot, Anahat had bolted through the initial rounds against England’s Fearney Copley and the USA’s Reghan Mclaughlin. She eventually sailed through a tricky quarter-final against Egyptian Nadia Tamer, winning 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-7), and was a game down in the semis before recouping against Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6).
It was almost an emotional return for Anahat to Birmingham where she first came into prominence as India’s youngest athlete at the last Commonwealth Games, her seniors debut. She had won the British Junior Open U11 in 2019, and U15s in 2023, a year after the CWG.
However, the loss last year had been sobering and she entered the final with some nerves, knowing things didn’t go her way the last time.
“I don’t think I played my best squash but by the fifth game I was able to understand exactly what I had to do. This year is my advantage year in the U17 age-group so it was an important one for me. I love this place and I will be back next year to try to win number four,” she would tell BJO later.
Changing courts
Her move from badminton to squash is an interesting tale, told by PTI. Her mother Tani Vadehra said then, “Anahat loved badminton but as parents, we used to travel with (her older sister) Amira for tournaments and Anahat did not want to be left alone in the house. That played a big part in her switching to squash from badminton.”
The youngster was smitten by simpler things. “I was drawn to it because I loved the noise of the ball hitting the wall,” she was quoted as saying by olympics.com.
The U17 title, just like Joshna’s, is an important milestone, though the tougher U19 category would be her first massive challenge, even as the Olympics roll in.
Anahat will be 20 at Los Angeles 2028, and though squash players peak much later, unless you are Nicole David of course, she is still ticking all the milestone boxes, before contending for the World Junior crown.
She has been in good form on the circuit in 2024, winning nine PSA Challenger titles last year, more than any other woman.
She is the reigning senior and junior national champion, which wasn’t a surprise. But breaking into the top 100 of the women’s PSA rankings for the first time, to be poised at 82, was an important development.
Anahat started out as a badminton player, inspired by PV Sindhu, before moving to squash following in her elder sister’s footsteps. Born to hockey playing parents Tani and Gursharan, the athletic genes run in the family, but squash developed from being a tag-along.
The Delhi girl became so good at her sport that she was soon dubbed a prodigy in India. The two bronze medals at the 2023 Asian Games highlighted her promise, though it’s on the PSA circuit that she will have to make a name for herself.
Many talented squash players in India have a good run in the Juniors, though the British Open juniors hasn’t ever been easy to nail down, especially in U17 and U19s levels. Many choose to take up scholarships at Ivy League Universities though squash takes a backseat along the way after NCAA.
Amira plays on the Harvard squash team and Anahat, coached by Ritwik Bhattacharya, would want to tread the same path. However her successes in glass courts and the proximity to the LA Games mean she just might devote her time entirely to squash in the crucial upcoming years.
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