India’s Anahat Singh made history by becoming the first World Junior Squash champion after defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem in the girls’ final of the World Squash Junior Championships 2026 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, on Saturday.Top seeded 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 win is India’s best result in a world junior championship, going one step ahead of Joshna Chinappa, who finished second in 2005.Anahat was in control throughout the game. He dropped just two sets in six games en route to the title and won the opening three matches without losing a match.
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The world number 20 on the PSA Tour started her campaign with a 3-0 victory against Australian Lilly Wilson. She then defeated Hong Kong’s Pui Yin Chloe Lo of China and Malaysia’s Doyce Ye San Lee to reach the quarter-finals.From there, Anahat defeated three Egyptian enemies in succession. She beat Habiba Rizk 3-1 (11-7, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9) in the quarter-finals, followed by a 3-1 (11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6) win over Barb Sameh in the semi-finals, then defeated Salem.Her victory also ended Egypt’s monopoly on women’s singles events. Egyptian players have won the title for 13 consecutive times since 2011.Anahat also became the first non-Egyptian player to win the girls World Junior Squash Championships since Amanda Sobhy in 2010.Last year, Anahat ended India’s 15-year wait for a medal at the junior World championships by winning bronze in Cairo. This year, he went one step further by becoming India’s first international champion.