Anahat Singh became the first Indian to win a squash world title at any level on Saturday, 25 July 2026, winning the girls' singles final of the World Junior Squash Championships at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. She beat second seed Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in straight games — 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 — to take the gold medal. The title ended Egypt's long domination of the junior women's event, reported as a 15-year reign. It came at Singh's fifth attempt at the championship. Squash has been one of India's strongest emerging disciplines without ever producing a world champion, making this a genuine first for the country in the sport.
Key Facts & Details
10 points- 1Anahat Singh is the first Indian to win a squash world title at any level.
- 2She won the World Junior Squash Championships girls' singles title on 25 July 2026.
- 3The final was played at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.
- 4She beat second seed Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in straight games.
- 5The scoreline was 11-3, 11-7, 11-9.
- 6The win ended Egypt's 15-year reign in the event.
- 7It was Singh's fifth attempt at the championship.
Deep Dive
- +Squash had not previously produced an Indian world champion at any level.
- +Salem was the second seed in the draw.
- +The championship is the sport's premier junior world event.
Exam Focus
Who became India's first World Junior Squash champion, and which country's dominance did the win end?
Exam Relevance & Angle
A first-ever world title for India in a sport is guaranteed general awareness, and the player, event, opponent and venue are all directly testable.
Target Exams
Test Yourself
1 / 2Who became the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championships?
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