Anahat Singh, 18, scripts squash history, one win from LA Olympics berth
Anahat Singh is beginning to make a habit of turning daunting deficits into defining moments. Two months after becoming the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championships, the 18-year-old flaunted her nerves for the biggest win yet of her career, rallying from two games down to stun Japan's world No. 6 Satomi Watanabe and storm into the women's singles final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Saturday.
With the 9-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 come-from-behind win, she became the first women's singles player from India to reach the Asian Games final.
Meanwhile, Abhay Singh, 28, stormed into the men's singles final after beating Pakistan's Muhammad Irfan. No Indian man has won an Asian Games gold in men's singles squash, and Abhay has a chance to create history on Sunday. A gold would also earn him a ticket to the Los Angeles Olympics.ANAHAT SAVES MATCH BALLS
Anahat, who had lost to Watanabe in another five-game battle earlier this year, looked to be heading for another defeat when the home favourite took the opening two games. But the Indian refused to buckle and saved two match points in the third game.
She clawed her way back into the contest by edging a tense third game 12-10 before drawing level with an 11-6 fourth-game win. By the decider, the momentum had completely shifted. Anahat took control of the rallies and raced to an 11-3 win, completing a remarkable turnaround and earning a place in the Asian Games final.
The comeback was all the more impressive after an awkward collision with Watanabe during a retrieval. Anahat's head struck the Japanese player's shoulder, forcing a brief stoppage while she received medical attention. There was little sign of discomfort once play resumed. Instead, the teenager showed the composure that has become increasingly evident during a breakthrough year.
Anahat arrived in Nagoya as India's brightest young squash prospect, but her World Junior title in Canada in July had already taken her career to another level. She defeated Egypt's Ruqayya Salem 3-0 in the final to become the first Indian to win the prestigious junior world title. The triumph also ended Egypt's long dominance of the event, with no non-Egyptian women's singles champion since 2010.
The title had a personal significance too. Anahat had repeatedly fallen short at the World Juniors, with quarter-final and semi-final exits in previous editions. Her victory came in her final year on the junior circuit and finally ended what she had described as a "curse".
Now, she is one victory away from another landmark.
The Asian Games women's singles champion earns a qualification place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where squash will make its debut.
Anahat will face the winner of the second women's singles semifinal between World No. 5 Subramaniam Sivasangari of Malaysia and Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk.CHINNAPPA-VELAVAN WIN BRONZE
While Anahat moved into the final, India also added a squash bronze through Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar in mixed doubles. The Indian pair went down 2-1 to Hong Kong's Tang Ming Hong and Lee Ka Yi in a fiercely contested semifinal.
After losing the opening game 11-10, Joshna and Velavan fought back to take the second 11-2. But the Hong Kong pair held their nerve in another tight third game, winning 11-10 to reach the final.
The medal is nevertheless another addition to a remarkable Asian Games career for Joshna. The 40-year-old has now won six medals at the continental event, adding to her two silvers and three bronzes.
For Anahat, though, the focus will now be on the final - and one more win that could take her from teenage prodigy to Olympic debutant.- Ends
