On February 1st, Anahat Singh claimed her maiden PSA Bronze-level title at the Squash On Fire Open 2026 in Washington, defeating the reigning Commonwealth Games champion Georgina Kennedy in straight games. The final ended 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 and with it came another major milestone: Anahat Singh became the youngest Asian player to break into the world’s top 20 rankings.
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The achievement is the biggest of her professional career so far, marking her first win at a World event and her 15th title on the PSA tour—an astonishing tally achieved in just 26 tournaments. However, her path to the title was anything but easy. After receiving a first-round bye, Singh battled past South Africa’s Hayley Ward in the pre-quarters, Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim in the quarter-finals and America’s Sabrina Sobhy in the semis to reach the final against England’s Georgina Kennedy. The final match carried extra weight as Singh had previously lost to Kennedy in their only earlier meeting.
Singh’s rise has been building over several seasons. She has claimed major junior titles, including success at the British Junior Open, has represented India at international events and was part of the Indian team that secured the historic Squash World Cup title. Last season, she was named Women’s Challenger Player of the Season and shared the Women’s Young Player of the Season award.
Singh’s breakthrough in Washington stands as yet another marker of the progress of women’s sports in India, sharpening the picture of what lies ahead. From cricket pitches to squash courts, Indian women are breaking records with ease. In 2025, among a host of other achievements, the Indian women’s cricket team won their maiden World Cup, Smriti Mandhana became the fastest Indian woman to reach 5,000 ODI runs, Nikhat Zareen defended her world boxing title and Jyothi Yarraji won her second gold medal in 100m hurdles. Podiums are filling up, and the idea that women’s sport is a niche conversation feels increasingly outdated.
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