Anahat Singh scripts history, becomes first Indian in 21 years to reach World Junior Squash Championships final

Anahat Singh has scripted history by becoming the first ever Indian in 21 years to reach the final of World Squash Championship after defeating Egypt’s Barb Sameh in the 2026 semi-finals. Singh started her sports journey as a badminton player before switching to squash at the age of 10.

The 18-year-old top seed showcased supreme tactical dominance at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, overcoming Egypt's resilient 3/4 seed Barb Sameh in a hard-fought, four-game semifinal battle with a scoreline of 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6. With this remarkable victory, the Delhi-based world number 20 became only the second Indian female ever to reach the prestigious individual title clash, matching the iconic runner-up run of veteran Joshna Chinappa back in 2005.

Furthermore,

by securing her place in the final, Anahat solidified her status as the first Indian player to ever guarantee back-to-back medals at this elite global tournament, upgrading the historic individual bronze medal she proudly captured in Cairo.

Now standing on the precipice of absolute sporting immortality, she is scheduled to face the highly formidable second seed Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in the ultimate championship showdown. Anahat needs just one more decisive victory to secure India’s first-ever elusive gold medal at the World Junior event and forever rewrite her nation's squash history.

Singh to face Egypt's Ruqayya Salem in historic World Junior Squash Championships final

Egypt’s second seed Ruqayya Salem will enter this final as a fierce competitor, holding the World Junior number two ranking and senior world number 57. According to their head-to-head stats, Anahat Singh holds a small psychological advantage over Salem after beating Salem 3-1 during the British Junior Open semifinals. However, Salem already holds a win over Anahat from a walkover victory at a professional tournament, making this upcoming match their true tiebreaker.

Throughout the tough competition in Canada, Salem has shown incredible mental strength and resilience. She survived a thrilling, high-pressure five-game battle against Malaysia's Whitney Wilson in the quarterfinals. After that, she confidently defeated her fellow Egyptian teammate Malika Elkaraksy 3-1 in the semifinals to book her final spot.

Salem missed out on qualifying for this global event last year, which has clearly motivated her to play her absolute best squash this week. She poses the ultimate threat to Anahat's gold-medal dreams. Since both players are in peak physical shape and have proven track records, their statistical deadlock promises a highly explosive and dramatic championship final.