NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan congratulated teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh after she scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. The 17-year-old achieved the milestone on Saturday at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem in straight games to secure the biggest title of her career and end Egypt’s 15-year dominance in the women’s event.

 

Reacting to the landmark achievement, Dhawan took to X to applaud the youngster’s accomplishment and its significance for Indian sport and wrote, “History created! Congratulations to Anahat Singh on becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship. A phenomenal achievement that will inspire generations. Keep shining!”

 

Anahat entered the tournament as the top seed and lived up to expectations with a commanding 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 victory over second seed Ruqayya Salem in the final. The triumph also made her the first non-Egyptian player to lift the women's World Junior title since American Amanda Sobhy achieved the feat in 2010.

 

The Indian had already signalled her title ambitions by reaching the final on Friday, becoming the first player from the country in 21 years to make it to the championship match. She earned that place with a four-game semifinal victory over Egypt’s Barb Sameh before overcoming another Egyptian opponent in the title clash.

 

The title marked a significant breakthrough not only for Anahat but also for Indian squash, with the teenager ending a run of Egyptian champions that had stretched from 2011 onwards.

 

Meanwhile, the men's event remained an all-Egyptian affair. Top seed Mohamad Zakaria advanced to his fourth consecutive World Junior final after defeating compatriot Selfeldin Refaay in straight games. He will meet second seed Adam Hawal, who progressed after Marwan Assal retired injured during their semifinal, with Hawal already leading by two games.