All of just 14 but Anahat Singh gave India's squash contingent a winning start at the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Friday night in Birmingham, defeating Jada Ross of St Vincent and the Grenadines with a commanding 3-0 scoreline.
The Round of 64 match took just 15 minutes with the young Indian even blanking her opponent in the final game to win the match 11-5, 11-2, 11-0.
Anahat will next play world number 19 Emily Whitlock in the Round of 32 match at 11:45pm on Saturday.
The teenager from Delhi is the youngest member of the 200+ strong Indian contingent in Birmingham and expressed her excitement about her debut Games while speaking to The Quint before leaving for the event.
“I'm really excited because I have to play senior players who have had enough experience and journeys. So, really excited about that,” said Anahat when asked her debut Commonwealth Games.
Part of Nine-Member Squash Team for CWG
Besides Anahat, eight others, including experienced campaigners Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinappa, and Saurav Ghosal are part of the Indian squash team in Birmingham. The teenage star was part of the national training camp in Chennai and was undergoing intense two-hour training sessions twice in a day, before the team left for Birmingham on Sunday.
Though Dipika, Joshna, and Saurav were present in the camp, Anahat spent her time practising with multiple national title winner Sunayana Kuruvilla. The two are teaming up and will represent India in the doubles category at the CWG as well. Anahat and Sunayana are also featuring in the women’s singles section, alongside Joshna Chinappa.
Regarding her preparations ahead of the CWG, Anahat mentioned that the training went well but she found the transition from singles to doubles a little hard initially.
“First, I did not exactly understand doubles but after coming and training, I’ve adapted to it,” said Anahat who has been a singles player throughout her young career. The top ranked player in Asia and India in the under-15 category, Anahat has not played doubles prior to this.
Road to CWG 2022
Anahat’s tryst with the sport happened after she followed in the footsteps of her elder sister Amira Singh, who is also a squash player. It was in 2019 that young Anahat grabbed the spotlight after winning the prestigious British Open in the under-11 category. For the next two years, she continued to be No 1 in the under-11 category, before moving to the under-15 section.
In December 2021 she won the under-15 US Open, followed by the Asian Junior title, German Open and Dutch Open (all three in under-15) respectively in 2022, thereby turning heads in India’s squash circles.
Anahat’s superb displays in recent times subsequently won her a ticket for the national camp in Chennai, where she impressed one and all to secure a spot in India’s squash team for Birmingham.
Having booked her berth in India’s team for CWG, Anahat, however, wants to live in the moment and not think too far ahead. “I am not so sure about a medal right now, but I am going to try my best,” Anahat said when enquired about her hopes of winning a medal in Birmingham.
Anahat, who won’t turn professional until she reaches 15 years of age, also spoke at length about her transition from a junior player to a senior and how she found the new experience exciting.
“It was like a very sudden transition. Last month, I was playing junior tournaments and then suddenly I am now part of the senior team. It’s very different but it is very exciting as well,” said Anahat, without hiding her happiness.
Fitness, Strengths, and Life Outside Squash
In a day and age where fitness has become a top priority in any sport, Anahat admitted that she does not adhere to any strict regimes or diet plans. “Not really, my dad says as long as I can think perfectly about my game, it’s fine,” the 14-year-old said.
A fan of World No 1, Ali Farag, Anahat’s main strength lies in her quick movements and never say die attitude on the court. “I feel like my movement, I am quite quick in the court and don’t give up easily. I keep on fighting if there is a real chance of winning and try my best,” Anahat explained, sharing a glimpse of her game style.
Currently, a student at the British School, Delhi, Anahat also has a few hobbies that keep her engaged apart from squash. The young Indian star finds happiness in painting and playing the piano when she has time on her hand.
With the CWG campaign set to kick off soon, this could be the beginning of a new dream and many more success stories for young Anahat. Following her CWG campaign, the 14-year-old will be gearing up for the World Juniors in Nancy, France next month.
India Squash Team (CWG 2022):
Men’s singles: Saurav Ghosal, Ramit Tandon, Abhay Singh
Men’s doubles: Ramit Tandon & Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Velavan Senthilkumar & Abhay Singh
Women’s singles: Joshna Chinappa, Sunayna Kuruvilla, Anahat Singh
Women’s doubles: Joshna Chinappa & Dipika Pallikal Karthik, Sunayna Kuruvilla & Anahat Singh
Mixed doubles: Saurav Ghosal & Dipika Pallikal Karthik, Joshna Chinappa & Ramit Tandon.
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