The teenage prodigy from Delhi had a dominant start to the final, winning the first game 11-3, leaving her opponent Salem with little to no chance.Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh created history on Saturday, as she became the first Indian to win a squash world title at any level after winning the World Junior Championships in Ontario, Canada. The 19-year-old Indian defeated second seed Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in straight games 11-3, 11-7, 11-9.Prior to this achievement, she had already become the second Indian woman after Joshna Chinappa to enter the final of the world junior title. Now, she has conquered a frontier that even Chinappa could not.The teenage prodigy from Delhi had a dominant start to the final, winning the first game 11-3, leaving her opponent Salem with little to no chance.In the second game, Anahat won 11-7 and had one hand on the title. However, the Egyptian gave a scare in the third game, with Anahat trailing 6-8 at one point.But the Indian fended off the pressure and took the important points to win the game 11-9 and claim the junior title at the fifth time of asking.History Made! Congratulations to Anahat Singh (@Anahat_Singh13) on becoming the first Indian ever to win the World Squash Junior Championship.A phenomenal achievement and a proud moment for every Indian. pic.twitter.com/SfURD0Zg69— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 25, 2026“I still feel like I am dreaming. This tournament has been the worst for me as I have been losing in semis and quarters every edition,” Anahat told Squash TV after her title win.Indeed, there was a period where the World Junior Squash Championships felt like a curse to the wunderkind, as Anahat repeatedly failed to progress beyond the quarter or semi-finals. All of her last three appearances have ended in quarters.In the 2025 edition, she made it to the semi-final but lost to Egypt’s Nadien Elhammamy 3-0 before clinching the bronze medal. However, in her last chance on the junior circuit, Anahat delivered.Story continues below this ad“This tournament has been like a curse to me as I have been losing in semis and quarters. I knew this was my last chance to win this tournament,” she said.Having turned pro at the age of 16, Anahat is already a seasoned campaigner, with a world ranking of 20 and multiple Asian Games medals under her belt. The experience was on display as she blunted the retaliation from the Egyptian in the third game.Also Read | Anahat Singh, India’s brightest squash talent, working on discipline to amplify her exciting shot-makingWhen asked if she had realised she was trailing, Anahat said, “I didn’t even realise the scores. I realised that I have lost a few points in a row and I need to play my game. I just made sure that I am hitting my lines well. I just wanted to enjoy every moment of playing in the World Championships final.”21 years ago, Joshna Chinappa had entered the final, but finished with a silver medal after losing to Raneem El Weiley of Egypt.Story continues below this adAnahat not only achieved unprecedented success for India, but she also broke the Egyptian dominance in the tournament. She happens to be the first non-Egyptian winner of the tournament in 16 years, after Amanda Shoby of the USA won it in 2010.Currently coached by former world champion Gregory Gaultier and mentored by Indian legend Saurav Ghosal, Anahat is expected to lead the charge of Indian hopes at the 2028 LA Olympics.Pritish Raj works with sports team at The Indian Express' and is based out of New Delhi. ... Read More Tags:Indian SquashSquash News