India's squash teen sensation Anahat claims 6th title

Anahat Singh clinches Costa North Coast Open PSA Challenger title

Teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh secured her sixth PSA Challenger title of the year by winning the women's singles crown at the Costa North Coast Open 2024 in Coffs Harbour, Australia, on Sunday.

Seeded third in the tournament, the 16-year-old downed Japan's sixth seed Akari Midorikawa in straight games 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 11-7).

Throughout the tournament, she displayed remarkable form, dropping only one game.

In the semi-finals, she defeated Hong Kong's seventh seed Kirstie Wong 3-1 (11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9), after having previously swept aside Bobo Lam and Helen Tang from Hong Kong in the earlier rounds.

Anahat, who won bronze medals in both the women's team and mixed doubles events at the Hangzhou Asian Games, received a bye in the first round due to her seeding.

Earlier this year, she claimed the JSW Willingdon Little Masters and Senior Tournament title in January and followed that up with the Hamdard Squashters Northern Slam PSA Challenger title in April.

She also triumphed in the Chennai and Kolkata legs of the HCL Squash Tour in June and August, respectively, along with winning the Reliance PSA Challenge 3 Tournament in August.

Anahat reached the final of the Dynam Cup SQ-Cube Open in Japan but had to withdraw from the title match against Egypt's Ruqayya Salem due to an injury.

She has also won both the senior and junior Nationals this year.