Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Feb 2: India’s teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh delivered a breakthrough performance by defeating top seed and World No. 10 Georgina Kennedy of England in straight games to win the Squash on Fire Open. The seventh seed prevailed 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 in the final, securing her maiden PSA Bronze-level title.
The victory marks the biggest achievement of Anahat’s young career and her 15th title overall on the PSA Tour. Currently ranked World No. 31, the 17-year-old has now competed in 26 professional tournaments, continuing her rapid rise on the global circuit.
Kennedy, who had beaten Anahat 3-0 in their only previous meeting at this season’s Canadian Women’s Open, looked poised to assert her dominance early on. The English star held two game balls at 10-8 in the opening game, but Anahat showed remarkable composure, winning four consecutive points to snatch the game and celebrating the momentum shift with an emotional roar.
From there, the Indian teenager took firm control of the match. Trailing 3-2 early in the second game, Anahat raised her intensity, blending attacking boasts, precise kills, and clever lobs to outmaneuver her opponent. A four-point streak pushed her to a 6-3 lead, and she conceded just two more points to move within a game of the title.
Any hopes Kennedy had of a comeback faded quickly in the third game as Anahat surged to a 5-1 lead in under two minutes. The score soon read 10-6, giving the teenager four match balls. Although the first opportunity slipped away, she sealed the win moments later with a crisp forehand boast winner, capping off a sensational week.
“I’m extremely happy. I knew I wanted to do well in these events, improve my ranking and put on a good performance, and I’m glad I was able to do that this time,” Anahat said after her win over the World No. 10.
Anahat had reached her first PSA Bronze-level final with a convincing 3-1 semifinal victory over US World No. 23 Sabrina Sobhy, winning 11-9, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5. Earlier in the tournament, she showcased her grit by coming back from two games down to defeat second seed Sana Ibrahim in a five-game thriller.
The title adds to what has been an outstanding season for the young Indian. She reached the semifinals of the Silver-level Canadian Women’s Open, finished runner-up in the Under-19 category at the British Junior Open, played a key role in India’s historic first Squash World Cup triumph, and lifted the Daly College Cup PSA title in Indore.
At the British Junior Open, Anahat narrowly missed the title after losing a hard-fought four-game final to France’s Lauren Baltayan. It was her ninth appearance in a BJO final across age groups, further underlining her growing stature as one of the most promising talents on the PSA Tour.