Anahat Singh fights through injury in Bega Open final

A doctor had advised India’s teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh, widely described as “the biggest rising star” in world squash, not to play the final of the New South Wales Squash Bega Open due to an ankle injury. But the 17-year-old ignored the advice, took to the court, and eventually lost as the pain prevented her from performing at her best.

With her opponent, second seed Habiba Hani of Egypt, just one point away from sealing the title, Anahat shook hands and conceded the match. At that stage, she was trailing 4-10 in the fourth game and 1-2 in the five-set final of the $27,500 prize money tournament in Bega, Australia, on August 17.

Injury setback

The injury had occurred during her 54-minute semifinal against Egypt’s Nour Khafagy, which Anahat won 3-2 (10-12, 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7). “She skidded and rolled her ankle in the semifinal. Her entire body weight fell on it. The doctor advised her not to play the final, but she hates to withdraw and went ahead. She couldn’t run in the final; couldn’t move swiftly,” her mother Tani Vadehra Singh told Patriot after returning to Delhi.

Unfortunately for Anahat, no physiotherapist was available immediately at the venue. The official on duty had left due to a family emergency. “The organisers arranged for a doctor on the morning of the final, played the next day. It was difficult to do anything in about one-and-a-half hours before her match, but you can’t blame anyone,” Vadehra said.

Road to recovery

There is good news, however. Anahat is feeling better after returning home. “We will now get the opinion of a doctor. At the moment she doesn’t have pain and there is no swelling. So, I think she should be okay for the Delhi Nationals starting on August 23. She is not the kind to skip a tournament. Anyway, injuries keep happening,” Vadehra underlined.

Her coach, Stéphane Galifi of Italy, will be joining her in the Delhi NCR. Her mentor and multiple national champion Saurav Ghosal has also confirmed his presence for the Nationals.

As the double defending champion, Anahat will be keen to complete a hat-trick of titles at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, the venue of the 81st National Squash Championships.

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Rising star

Anahat’s rapid progress has caught international attention. At the Bega Open prize distribution ceremony, an official told her: “You are the biggest rising star; you are the biggest prodigy player in the whole game. And you are not an Egyptian. Amazing. Isn’t that incredible — a non-Egyptian player doing well?” Egyptians currently dominate world squash across both men’s and women’s competitions.

Following her run at the tournament, Anahat climbed seven spots in the PSA world rankings and is now placed 46th – the first time she has broken into top 50.

Balancing books and squash

A Class XII student at the British School in New Delhi, Anahat has been carefully balancing her studies with her sporting commitments. Her mother said that since it is an important academic year, she will sit for her board exams, and her squash calendar has been planned only until December.

The next year promises to be equally significant for her career. The Asian Games are scheduled in Japan from September 19 to October 4. At the 2023 edition, she won bronze medals in the women’s team and mixed doubles events. The wiry teenager, who also bagged a bronze at the World Junior Championships this year, will be looking to change the colour of her medals.