Mumbai: Anahat Singh, a rapidly rising Indian squash player, has made a name for herself in the squash world. At the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, she was the cynosure of all eyes, and her post-match interviews were often swamped by kids carrying paper and pen. Despite being touted as the next big thing in Indian squash, Anahat remained composed, giving little away in terms of being overawed.
As the top seed in the JSW Indian Open, a PSA Copper event, Anahat lived up to her billing, defeating 29th-ranked Egyptian Hana Moataz 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6) in the final on Sunday. This victory marked her second title in two months, following her win as the seventh seed at a PSA Bronze level event in Washington.
Anahat's success is a testament to her ability to deal with rising expectations. Her mentor, Saurav Ghosal, a former top-10 pro, believes that she has managed to handle the pressure thus far. With the Asian Games and the 2028 LA Olympics on the horizon, Anahat is excited about the opportunity to put on a show and bring home a gold medal.
In the men's final, Abhay Singh defeated compatriot Veer Chotrani 3-0 (11-9, 11-8, 11-4), ensuring that he went a step better than last year. Abhay's victory was an emotional one, as he had lost two big finals at home last year and was determined not to let it happen again.
