India’s Anahat Singh created history by becoming the country’s first World Junior Squash champion after defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem in the girls’ singles final of the World Squash Junior Championships 2026 at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, on Saturday.Top seed Anahat beat second seed Salem 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-9) to claim the title and end Egypt’s long run in the tournament.The 18-year-old’s victory is India’s best-ever result at the junior world championships, going one step further than Joshna Chinappa, who finished runner-up in 2005.Anahat was in control throughout the tournament. She dropped only two sets across six matches on her way to the title and won her opening three matches without losing a game.
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The world No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour began her campaign with a 3-0 win over Australia’s Lilly Wilson. She then defeated Hong Kong China’s Pui Yin Chloe Lo and Malaysia’s Doyce Ye San Lee to reach the quarter-finals.From there, Anahat overcame three Egyptian opponents in a row. She beat Habiba Rizk 3-1 (11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9) in the quarter-finals, followed it up with a 3-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6) win over Barb Sameh in the semi-finals, and then defeated Salem in the final.Her victory also ended Egypt’s dominance in the girls’ singles event. Egyptian players had won the title for 13 consecutive editions since 2011.Anahat also became the first non-Egyptian player to win the World Junior Squash Championships girls’ singles title since Amanda Sobhy in 2010.Last year, Anahat had ended India’s 15-year wait for an individual medal at the junior world championships by winning bronze in Cairo. This year, she went a step further by becoming India’s first junior world champion.
