India’s squash sensation, Anahat Singh, has created history by reaching the final of the NSW Bega Open 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to do so at a PSA Copper-level event.
Hailing from Delhi, the teen secured a dominant 3-2 victory over Egypt’s Nour Khafagy in an enthralling 54-minute semifinal match. After a close loss in the first game, 10–12, Singh made a strong comeback by winning the next two, 11–5, 11–5. A resilient Khafagy forced a decider by taking the fourth game 12–10, but Singh regrouped to take an 11–7 win in the final game. Despite picking up a minor injury mid-match, her composure under physical and mental pressure was evident as she held firm for the triumph.
This milestone win sets up a showdown with opponent Habiba Hani, the second seed from Egypt. Hani earned her final berth by defeating India’s Akanksha Salunkhe 3–1 (11–9, 7–11, 12–10, 11–6) in the other semifinal.
Singh had displaced phenomenal form throughout, by defeating South Africa’s Hayley Ward 3–0 (11–4, 11–9, 14–12), continuing her impressive momentum through the tournament.
At the young age of 17, she has already claimed 12 PSA titles across 18 events, with nine of those triumphs coming in the past year alone, a remarkable rate of success and a clear sign of her rapid rise in world squash.
The NSW Bega Open, with a prize purse of USD 25,000, also marks the first World Event in the inaugural 2025/26 PSA World Tour season. Singh’s breakthrough here will be crucial as she continues etching her name in the world of squash.
Before embracing squash, Singh had shown promise in badminton, with player PV Sindhu being her idol. However, she found her passion shifted when she took up the sport at the age of eight. Since then, her journey has been marked by fast progress, including becoming the youngest Indian on the Commonwealth Games team in 2022, and now, competing at finals on the PSA circuit.
Sunday’s final opportunity represents a chance for Singh to clinch her 13th PSA title, another feather in her cap that could further consolidate her status as one of India’s most promising young athletes.
The confrontation with Hani will definitely be a challenge, but the excellent form of Singh, combined with mental resilience and prior triumphs this year, makes her a strong contender. By turning this into a title, she will cement her position among the world’s elite squash players as the start of the PSA season begins in full swing.
Yash Desai is a renowned journalist with over 10+ years of experience covering sports around the world. He began his career as a News Reporter in Delhi, India, and got an opportunity to cover several World events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Games. He often felt that women’s sports are sidelined and given step-motherly treatment by the mainstream media. To bridge this gap and to build an equal playing field, Yash co-founded FemaleInSports and is currently working as a Lead Editor here.
