Shikhar Dhawan hails Anahat Singh after historic World Junior squash triumph
New Delhi, July 26
Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan congratulated teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh after she scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 17-year-old achieved the milestone on Saturday at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, defeating Egypt's Ruqayya Salem in straight games to secure the biggest title of her career and end Egypt's 15-year dominance in the women's event.
Reacting to the landmark achievement, Dhawan took to X to applaud the youngster's accomplishment and its significance for Indian sport and wrote, "History created! Congratulations to Anahat Singh on becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. A phenomenal achievement that will inspire generations. Keep shining!"
Anahat entered the tournament as the top seed and lived up to expectations with a commanding 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 victory over second seed Ruqayya Salem in the final. The triumph also made her the first non-Egyptian player to lift the women's World Junior title since American Amanda Sobhy achieved the feat in 2010.
The Indian had already signalled her title ambitions by reaching the final on Friday, becoming the first player from the country in 21 years to make it to the championship match. She earned that place with a four-game semifinal victory over Egypt's Barb Sameh before overcoming another Egyptian opponent in the title clash.
The title marked a significant breakthrough not only for Anahat but also for Indian squash, with the teenager ending a run of Egyptian champions that had stretched from 2011 onwards.
Meanwhile, the men's event remained an all-Egyptian affair. Top seed Mohamad Zakaria advanced to his fourth consecutive World Junior final after defeating compatriot Selfeldin Refaay in straight games. He will meet second seed Adam Hawal, who progressed after Marwan Assal retired injured during their semifinal, with Hawal already leading by two games.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a squash enthusiast, this is huge! But let's not forget that Indian squash still lacks infrastructure. One champion doesn't fix the system. Hope this inspires more investment in the sport, especially in smaller towns. 🤔
From one sportsperson to another, Shikhar's shoutout is classy. Anahat's composure at such a young age is remarkable. Straight-game win against the Egyptian girl shows her mental toughness. Well played! 👏
I remember when she first came on the scene at the Commonwealth Games. She's grown so much! Ending Egypt's 15-year monopoly is like the 1983 World Cup moment for Indian squash. Now we need more academies to nurture such talent. 🏸✨
Okay, serious talent here. Beating the second seed 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 is a statement. And being the first non-Egyptian winner since 2010? That's massive. Indian sport is on fire lately—first chess, then badminton, now squash. Love to see it!
So proud of Anahat! But I wish the men's side could also break through. They keep facing Egyptian domination in every category. Still, this is a ray of hope. Maybe our squash federation should learn from this and provide better support. 😊
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