Indian squash player Anahat Singh delivered a remarkable performance to kick off her World Championship campaign, defeating world No. 28 Marina Stefanoni from the USA in an exciting and hard-fought match. Despite losing the first game, Anahat, who is ranked 62nd in the world, showed tremendous grit and determination to battle back and secure a thrilling 10-12, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6 victory. The young 17-year-old's resilience was on full display as she recovered from a game deficit to take control and ultimately triumph over her experienced opponent. With this win, Anahat has now set herself up for a tough challenge in the second round, where she will face world No. 15 Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt. Aboelkheir advanced to the next round after defeating fellow Egyptian Hana Moataz 3-1. Anahat will need to bring her best game to overcome the experienced Aboelkheir, but the promising young talent's performance thus far has shown she is more than capable of taking on the top players in the world.
In the men's singles event, Abhay Singh also made an impressive start, defeating world No. 25 Nicolas Mueller from Switzerland. Singh, ranked 38th in the world, displayed a combination of skill, patience, and mental toughness in a 11-7, 2-11, 11-7, 11-6 win. Despite a brief setback in the second game, Singh bounced back strongly, winning the next three games to secure a well-deserved victory. His next challenge will be against world No. 13 Youssef Ibrahim, also from Egypt. Ibrahim is known for his powerful play, making it a highly anticipated encounter in the upcoming round.
The USD 656,500 World Championship is proving to be a thrilling and competitive event, with both Indian players showing that they belong among the world’s best. As the tournament progresses, Anahat and Abhay will look to build on their successful starts and continue making waves in the squash world. The support for Indian players continues to grow, and both young talents will be hoping to make their mark in this prestigious event.
