NEW DELHI: India No. 1 Anahat Singh on Saturday created history by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 18-year-old defeated Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the women’s final in Ontario on Saturday.“It means the world. It still feels like a dream,” Anahat said after her title win. “I have lost in the semis and quarters over the last four years. I have always said, if anyone asked, ‘This tournament is a race’, and I have never been able to play well in the event,” said the Delhi player.Anahat said winning the title in his last junior appearance made the achievement even more special.“This is my last year (as a junior) and my only chance to win.
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It means the world,” added Anahat.She also revealed that her focus before the final was to stay relaxed and enjoy the occasion.“I knew if I was stressed, I played terribly, so I just went out on the court and hit my lines well … I wanted to enjoy every moment of playing in a world championship final,” he said.
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Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) general secretary Cyrus Poncha described Anahat’s victory as a milestone for the sport in the country.“It is a historic moment for Indian squash. Anahat has the potential to reach great heights,” said Poncha.He also recalled the vision of late SRFI patron N. Ramachandran.“(The late) Mr N Ramachandran, SRFI patron and visionary of the Indian Squash Academy, always said it was his dream that India would produce a world champion in individual events,” Poncha continued.“We achieved it in doubles, but to replicate that success in singles, it’s really a dream come true. A lot of hard work and effort from Anahat, of course, but we had the whole nation behind her and her successes in recent years.”