Indian squash player Anahat Singh produced the biggest victory of her career before following it up with a gritty comeback win to reach the semifinals of the Silicon Valley Open 2026 in California. The 18-year-old defeated Egypt’s eight-time world champion Nour El Sherbini in straight games before overcoming another Egyptian opponent, Salma Hany, in a five-game quarterfinal.
The results mark a major milestone for Anahat, who has steadily risen through the international rankings and is emerging as one of India’s brightest squash prospects. Her run in California has demonstrated not only her attacking ability but also her capacity to recover when a match begins to slip away.
Anahat, ranked world No. 15, defeated world No. 3 El Sherbini 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 in just 30 minutes on Thursday. The Indian then battled past world No. 14 Hany 4-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-2, 11-5 to book her place in the last four.
Her semifinal appearance is her first at a PSA Gold-level tournament, putting her among the leading contenders at one of the important events on the professional squash calendar.
The win over El Sherbini was particularly special because the Egyptian legend was a player Anahat had admired since childhood. A multiple-time world champion, El Sherbini has dominated women’s squash for years and remains one of the sport’s most accomplished competitors.
Facing such an experienced opponent could have been daunting for a young player, but Anahat approached the match with confidence and a clear plan. She stayed composed through the rallies, made the most of her scoring opportunities and prevented El Sherbini from establishing control.
Anahat won all three games by identical margins of three points or more, completing the upset in half an hour. The straight-games victory was a statement performance against a player ranked well above her.
After the match, Anahat described beating her childhood idol as an extraordinary experience. She said her game plan had worked well and admitted that she had not expected the contest to go so smoothly.
The result was more than a memorable personal achievement. It also showed that Anahat can compete with the leading players on the PSA Tour and convert her potential into results against elite opposition.
Anahat’s next test against Salma Hany demanded a different kind of performance. The Egyptian started strongly, taking the first game 11-4 and putting the Indian under immediate pressure.
Anahat responded by winning the second game 11-8, but Hany regained the advantage with another 11-4 win. Trailing 1-2, the Indian needed to win both remaining games to keep her campaign alive.
She delivered when it mattered most. Anahat took control of the fourth game, winning it 11-2, before carrying her momentum into the decider. She closed out the final game 11-5 to complete a 3-2 victory in 42 minutes.
The comeback underlined her resilience after the emotional and physical demands of defeating El Sherbini the previous day. Rather than allowing the early setbacks to affect her confidence, Anahat adjusted her approach and raised her level when the match was on the line.
The victory also highlighted an important aspect of her development: the ability to manage difficult moments against experienced opponents, even when she is not playing her best squash.
Anahat entered the Silicon Valley Open after an impressive campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She won the women’s singles silver medal, becoming the first Indian woman to claim silver in singles squash at the continental competition. She also helped India secure bronze in the women’s team event.
Those performances added to her growing reputation in Indian squash. Anahat is also a world junior champion and has worked with former world No. 1 Gregory Gaultier as she continues to develop her game.
Her latest victories indicate that she is increasingly capable of translating success at junior and continental levels into strong performances against the world’s senior elite.
Anahat’s semifinal opponent is Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, the world No. 4 and reigning Asian Games champion. The match is scheduled for Friday, October 23, and will offer Anahat another opportunity to test herself against a leading player.
The two met in the women’s singles final at the Asian Games, where Sivasangari won 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 to claim gold. That result gives the Malaysian a recent advantage, but Anahat’s performance in California suggests she will approach the rematch with renewed confidence.
A victory would take the Indian into the final and mark another landmark in her young career. Whatever the outcome, her run at the Silicon Valley Open has already delivered a career-best result and strengthened India’s presence on the international squash stage.
