Anahat Singh is no longer simply India’s next big squash prospect. In the grand surroundings of Alexandra Palace, the 18-year-old delivered the biggest senior victory of her young career, defeating World No. 11 Nele Gilis to reach the quarter-finals of the London Squash Classic.
The reigning World Junior Champion overcame the eighth-seeded Belgian 13-11, 4-11, 11-8 in 39 minutes on Thursday, becoming the first Indian woman since Joshna Chinappa in 2021 to reach the last eight of a PSA Gold-level tournament. The victory also came in their first meeting on the PSA Tour, making Anahat’s achievement even more significant.
Anahat, currently ranked World No. 20, walked into the contest against a player 11 places higher in the rankings and one who knows this tournament particularly well. Gilis had reached the London Classic final last year, giving the Indian youngster a formidable opponent in the second round. But Anahat showed little sign of being overawed.
The opening game was a tight battle, with both players fighting for control of the rallies. The Indian eventually edged it 13-11, gaining an early advantage and putting pressure on Gilis. The Belgian responded immediately in the second. Gilis found greater consistency and control, forcing Anahat to chase the pace of the rallies and levelling the contest with an 11-4 game. The decisive third game became a test of temperament as much as ability.
Anahat managed to reset after the setback and produced the sharper squash when the match reached its crucial stages. She kept the pressure on Gilis and eventually closed out the decider 11-8 to complete one of the most notable wins of her emerging senior career. The official tournament report described it as Anahat’s first quarter-final appearance at a PSA Gold-level event.
The teenager was understandably thrilled by the occasion. “She’s a great player,” said Singh afterwards. “I played her a year and a half ago at the World Teams and that match really helped me get experience for the PSA circuit. It’s always been my dream to play in a venue like this, so it’s very exciting.” Her comments underline an important part of the victory. This was not an isolated upset. Anahat has been building towards nights like this through a rapid rise on the international circuit.
In July, she created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the World Junior Championships, an achievement that further established her as one of the country’s brightest young squash talents. Now, barely two months later, she has followed that success by breaking into the quarter-finals of a Gold-level senior event.
Her next challenge will be considerably tougher. Anahat will face third seed and World No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam of Malaysia in the quarter-finals after Sivasangari defeated Egypt’s Nardine Garas 11-5, 11-5 in just 17 minutes.
The meeting presents another opportunity for Anahat to measure herself against a player established firmly inside the world’s elite. Sivasangari is also no stranger to success in London, having won the 2024 edition of the tournament. For India, Anahat’s progress is particularly encouraging because the London run comes at a Gold-level event featuring some of the strongest names on the PSA Tour. She is now the country’s only remaining player in the tournament.
Ramit Tandon’s campaign ended in the men’s second round against Mohamed ElShorbagy, while Veer Chotrani suffered a first-round defeat to Yannick Wilhelmi. ElShorbagy defeated Tandon 12-10, 11-9 in 29 minutes. For years, the conversation around Anahat Singh has centred on what she could become. That conversation is changing.
At 18, she has already won a World Junior Championship and now owns a victory over a top-15 senior player at one of the PSA Tour’s Gold-level events. More importantly, she recovered after losing the second game and found a way to win the decisive moments against an opponent with considerably more senior experience.
That is the part that should excite Indian squash. The junior trophies established Anahat’s credentials. The victory over Gilis suggests she is beginning to translate those credentials into the senior game. Now comes Sivasangari, a top-five opponent and former London champion. It will be another steep examination, but Anahat has already ensured that the quarter-final is not where India’s interest ends. She has arrived in London as a prospect. She has left the second round looking increasingly like a contender.
