India's Anahat given top billing in World Junior squash
New Delhi, July 18
India's Anahat Singh has been given top billing in the women's section of the World Squash Junior Championships starting on Monday in Ontario, Canada, while Aryaveer Dewan is seeded 5/8 among men.
Women's world No 20 Anahat, who has won 16 singles titles on the circuit so far after turning pro in 2023, will be looking to clinch her maiden world junior crown following her bronze-medal-winning semifinal finish last year.
Meanwhile, Aryaveer will aim to build on his growing reputation after becoming only the fourth Indian to win the boys' U-19 crown in the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in May.
Other Indians competing at the World Juniors, which concludes on July 31, are: Yusha Nafees, Gurveer Singh, and Purav Rambhia in men and Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey, and Saanvi Kalanki in women.
Considering his vast experience in the senior circuit, Anahat will be India's best bet to win the World Junior Squash title.
Anahat, the 18-year-old right-handed player from New Delhi, first rose to prominence after winning the U11 title at the British Junior Open in 2019. In 2023, she won the title in the U15 category of the British Junior Open after beating Egypt's Sohaila Hazem.
In August 2023, Anahat won the U17 title at the Asian Junior Championships held in Dalian, China, and then bagged two bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Games in the mixed doubles category with Abhay Singh and in the women's team event. The same year, Anahat became the senior national champion in November after Tanvi Khanna retired in the finals due to an injury.
Anahat Singh ended the year 2025 by being a part of the team that won the 2025 World Cup, bringing home the first SWC title for India.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud of Anahat! That bronze at the Asian Games as a 16-year-old was incredible. And now she's seeded first at the World Juniors? That's massive. Aryaveer too—being in the top 8 seeds is no joke. Indian squash is finally getting the attention it deserves. Hope our media covers this properly instead of just cricket all the time.
Anahat is a real superstar! But we need to talk about the infrastructure—how many Indian players can even afford to train abroad? She must have had strong family support. The government needs to step up and fund more players. Otherwise, it's just a few exceptional individuals, not a movement. Good luck to all our juniors in Canada! 🏆
Impressive record! Anahat winning the British Junior Open at U11 and U15, and now the World Cup? She's got a bright future. Hope she can break through in the senior circuit too—squash is so competitive, especially with Egyptian players dominating. But top billing in the junior world is a great start! Good luck from Canada.
So nice to see both boys and girls from India doing well! Yusha, Gurveer, Purav and Rudra, Anika, Saanvi—lots of talent. I just hope the Squash Federation supports them all equally. It's easy to get excited about a star player, but grassroots development matters too. Anahat is an inspiration for every young girl in Delhi who wants to play sports! 💪
J Jessica F Doesn't "World We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.