Niagara-on-the-Lake (Canada): India have kickstarted their campaign at the World Squash Junior Championships strongly with women’s top seed Anahat Singh, who is hoping to become India’s first-ever junior world champion, advancing into the next round after a straight-game 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 against Australia’s Lilly Wilson.
Amidst the excitement of the opening day, India’s Saanvi Kalanki was able to impress and book her place into the next round after enduring a five-game battle against the Netherlands’ seed, Elcke Mols, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6.
Kalanki, who took the lead in the opener, 11-9, was forced into a back-and-forth battle, with Mols levelling the scoreline twice to force a fifth game. However, it proved that the Dutch player’s efforts were for nothing, as Kalanki was able to claim the fifth 11-6.
Meanwhile, Anika Dubey registered a straight-game 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 victory over Anna Kuwahara of Japan and Rudra Singh received walkover by Khadija Abdulraheem of Nigeria.
In the men’s section, the trio of Aryaveer Dewan, Yusha Nafees and Gurveer Singh, who received the first-round bye, advanced to the men’s singles third round
Aryaveer registered a 12-10, 11-6, 11-9 win over Levi Visser of Germany. Yusha secured a convincing 11-1, 11-1, 11-1 victory over Brazil’s Matheus Frabetti while, Gurveer beat Christian Dromgoole of Ireland 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6. However, Purav Rambhia lost to England’s Ronnie Hickling.
Defending men’s champion and No.1 seed Mohamad Zakaria started his run with a straight-game victory over Macau, China’s Wu Cheok Io, as he aims to become the first men’s player to win the title three times.
At World Squash Junior Championships 2026, the individual competition from July 20 to 25 will be followed by the men’s and women’s team events from July 26 to 31 at the same venue.
India’s men’s team heads into the competition after winning bronze in Cairo last year, ending a 13-year medal drought at the championships.
(IANS)
