After creating history for India and in the midst of a pre-college gap, what’s next for Anahat Singh?

NEW DELHI: “It felt really surreal. I felt like I was dreaming. I still feel like I’m dreaming.” That’s how Anahat Singh described the moment the Indian flag went up after she became the first ever Indian woman to win the World Junior Squash Championship.She carried the same disbelief during the virtual media interaction facilitated by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Monday, not wanting to let the moment blow up into something bigger than it was.When asked how she balances the expectations now piling up around her, Anahat went straight for something her parents drilled into her long before the trophies started coming.“You don’t have to think too much about what other people expect of you,” she said. “Just go into the game and focus on the amount of practice I’ve had and my game rather than everything else behind it.The tournament she just won gave it teeth. This was the 18-year-old’s last shot at a junior title after failing to make the knock-outs in previous editions. “I was really, really close to making it to the final, I was leading and I lost after the lead,” she admitted. “I’m glad I was able to do well in this tournament and make sure the same mistake doesn’t happen again.”

Did she care about the Egyptian story?

The built-in story of the tournament was hard to ignore. The teenager from Delhi became the first non-Egyptian to win the title in 16 years. She also defeated three Egyptian players back-to-back en route to the final.However, it was just a plot line she wasn’t interested in playing with. “Whether he’s Egyptian or any other nationality, a fight is still a fight,” she admitted with a smile on her face. “I don’t really like to think too much about stats or history because sometimes it can affect you negatively.“I knew going into this tournament it was my last chance to win it,” she said. “I don’t think I would have played it freely if it wasn’t my senior year.

Motivation that comes off the court

Whether he’s driving behind or cruising in the match, he’s always looking through the glass. “I have a habit of watching a lot off the court, whether it comes naturally or not, it’s just something I’ve always done since I was little,” she revealed.But what is he looking for? “If I ever look outside, it’s always my parents or my coaches. They’re always pushing me and just saying, ‘Keep going, keep going.’ I think especially when there’s a lot of pressure at events like this, it makes a huge difference in getting more confidence.”

Anahat Singh with mentor Saurav Ghosal

Besides her parents, two names stand out in her support system. Gregory Gaultier, the former world number one, and Saurav Ghosal, the Indian squash pioneer, whom Anahat credits with sharpening her consistency in recent years.

What’s next for Anahat?

Anahat, who comes from a sporting family that has always believed that sports are as important as academics, has already graduated and was due to start her studies this year, but a busy competition schedule leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has forced her to take a year off.But before that, the Asian Games later this year got even bigger. The gold medal offers direct qualification for squash’s Olympic debut in Los Angeles 2028.“The Asian Games itself is a huge deal, whether or not the Olympics were part of the picture or not. But the fact that it’s the Olympics, I’d say that’s just an added bonus and I’m just going to give it my 100%,” she said, stressing that a direct qualification route would not add to the pressure.“There are many other ways to get to the Olympics. So in that way, it’s not too much pressure,” she said.Talking about the Olympics, Anahat can take a leaf out of the book of her idol and two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu. Although she never met the shuttler in person, the veteran, whom she idolized long before she made the switch to squash herself from badminton, publicly praised her victory in Canada.“I have been going and watching her matches since I was almost four years old,” said Anahat, who is due to return to Delhi for training within the next month. “I’m really happy that I was able to catch her attention… Not everyone gets this opportunity to play on the world stages of sports.”READ ALSO: Anahat Singh: What’s in a name? A word from the prayer of Guru Nanak, now a squash sensation in India