Egypt has won more world titles in squash than any other country, dominating both junior and senior competitions. For 13 consecutive World Junior Squash Championships, an Egyptian had won the women’s individual title. The streak was broken this year when 18-year-old Anahat Singh of Delhi became the first Indian to win a World Junior Squash Championship title.
Singh took home the gold medal after beating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 3-0 (11-3, 11-7, 11-9) in the final of the tournament in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada. To reach the final, Singh had to beat an Egyptian player, Habiba Rizk, in the quarterfinals, and another Egyptian, Barb Sameh, in the semifinals. “It means the world. I still feel like I’m dreaming,” Singh told reporters after her win. “I’ve been losing in the semis and quarters over the last four years. I’ve always said, if anyone’s asked, ‘This tournament’s a curse,’ and I’ve never been able to play well in the event.”
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge. [Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]