NEW DELHI: “It feels really unreal. I feel like I’m dreaming. I still feel like I’m dreaming.” That’s how Anahat Singh described the moment the Indian flag came up after she became the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship.She carried the same disbelief during the virtual media interaction facilitated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Monday, not wanting to let the moment blow into something bigger than it was.Asked how she balances the expectations now piling up around her, Anahat got straight to something her parents had drilled into her long before the trophies started rolling in.“You shouldn’t think too much about what other people expect of you,” he said. “I just go into the game and focus on the amount of training I’ve done and my game rather than everything behind it.”The tournament she had just won gave her teeth. This was the 18-year-old’s last shot at the junior title after failing to make the knock-outs in previous editions. “I was really, really close to getting to the final, and I was leading, and I lost after leading,” he admitted. “Being able to handle it so well in this tournament, and make sure that the same mistake doesn’t happen again, is something I’m happy about.”
Did he care about Egyptian history?
The built-in narrative of the tournament was hard to ignore. The Delhi teenager became the first non-Egyptian to win the title in 16 years. She also beat three Egyptian players back-to-back on her way to the final.However, it was just the plot that I wasn’t interested in playing together. “Whether he is an Egyptian or any other nationality, a match is always a match,” he admits with a smile on his face. “I don’t really like to think about statistics or history, because sometimes that can affect you negatively.“I knew coming into this tournament that it was my last opportunity to win,” he said. “I don’t think I would have played this freely if it wasn’t my last year.”
The motivation that comes from outside the court
Whether she’s dragging or cruising in a match, she always peeks through the glass. “I have a habit of watching a lot off the court, whether it comes naturally or unnaturally, it’s just something I’ve always done since I was a kid,” he revealed.What is she looking for though? “If I always look at myself, it’s always my parents or my coaches. They’re always pushing me and just telling me, ‘Keep going, keep going.’ I think especially when there is a lot of pressure in events like this, it makes a big difference to get more confidence.”
Anahat Singh with mentor Saurav Ghosal
In addition to relatives, two names stand out in their support system. Gregory Gaultier, the former world No. 1, and Saurav GhosalIndia’s squash pioneer, both of whom Anahat credits with honing his consistency in recent years.
What’s next for Anahat?
Anahat, who comes from a sports family that has always believed that sports are as important as academicshe has already graduated from school and was due to start university this year, but a packed competition schedule leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics prompted him to take a year off.Before that, however, the Asian Games later this year are even bigger. A gold medal offers direct qualification for squash’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.“The Asian Games alone is a big deal, whether or not the Olympics were part of the picture or not. But the fact that there is the Olympics, I just say it’s an added bonus, and I’ll just give my 100%,” he said, also insisting that the direct qualification route does not add to the pressure.“There are many other ways to enter the Olympics as well. So, in this way, there is not too much pressure,” he said.Speaking of the Olympics, Anahat can take a leaf from her idol and two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhuthe book of. Although she never met the shuttle in person, the veteran idolized long before she switched to squash from badminton she herself publicly praised her victory in Canada.“I have been going and watching their matches since I was almost four years old,” said Anahat, who will return to Delhi to train next month. “I’m really happy that I was able to catch their attention… Not everyone has this opportunity to play on the world stages of sports.”READ ALSO: Anahat Singh: What’s in a name? A word from the prayer of Guru Nanak, now the gourd sensation of India