Anahat Singh recently scripted history by becoming the first Indian to ever win the World Junior Squash Championships.
While speaking exclusively to Revsportz, in a conversation with Boria Majumdar and Simran Gupta, alongside the former India No. 1 Saurav Ghosal, the teenage sensation reflected upon her historic triumph while Ghosal explained why he believes Indian squash has found a player who is capable of competing with the very best in the world.
When asked if she has realised that she has achieved something incredible, Anahat admitted the achievement still feels unreal. “It’s still not fully sunk in yet, so I don’t think I’ve really understood what exactly has happened in the last few days. But I do understand that (after) winning events like this, there would be a lot more expectation for me to do better and to win even bigger events. With the Asian Games coming up as well, there’s a lot at stake.”
Anahat further elaborated that the title has only strengthened her belief ahead of bigger challenges, and going forward the triumph wouldn’t necessarily turn out to be a burden.
“I think an event like this just helps me get more confidence going into the Asian Games and gets me more excited that I can play good squash. I can hopefully do something in the Asian Games and win a medal for the country,” she said.
When the prodigy was asked about falling short in the previous two editions of the tournament, Anahat revealed that knowing this would be her final appearance at the World Juniors became her biggest source of motivation.
“Just knowing that this was my last junior event, and my last chance to win a gold in the World Juniors. The last four years I’ve lost in the quarters, in the semis, and I have gone from almost winning the match to somehow losing.
“And the fact that it’s always been my dream really pushed me to give it my all in this one tournament and just focus and do my best, and it worked out,” she noted.
Ghosal however believes the prodigy’s World Junior crown is just another career milestone, and only the start of what could become a remarkable career.
As he stated, “The vision is very, very big. She has potential to do a lot of great things moving forward for herself and then obviously for India.”
He also believes that Anahat can represent the next chapter in Indian squash’s rise on the world stage. “Indian squash has come through a journey over the last 30 years, from being just there to make up the numbers to being extremely competitive with the previous generation. Now Anahat is kind of being the proof in the pudding to really, really win the biggest things on the world stage.”
When we asked Ghosal what makes Anahat different from others, he pointed to her mindset more than anything else.
“If I had to pick one thing, it’s her fearlessness and her belief in the ambition that she has for herself to be the best in the world. Not just 10 years from now, but now, like right now. I think that is something that drives her and drives all of us around her to kind of get her to be the best she can be,” he noted.
He also added that everyone around her believes that if she continues to focus and work hard on the present, “she is good enough to take on anyone in the world”.
Normally, while most would expect wild celebrations after a historic achievement, Anahat revealed that they have been put on hold because the World Junior Team event is still underway.
“I’ve honestly not done anything yet because we still have the team event left at the World Juniors. We’re not really allowed to celebrate.”
Humorously Anahat added, “The coaches are being very strict right now to focus on the tournament and let it end. I’m just waiting for the last day to come so I can celebrate with my teammates and then go back home and spend time with my family and friends.”
We then asked Ghoshal if there was one defining moment during a match, during practice or off the courts where he believed that Anahat was ready to be the world champion.
“She herself has known that she is ready to be the World Junior Champion for a very long time. It’s not a realisation that has happened through the week.”
Instead, he praised her ability by saying, “There have been times which have been challenging, to say the least, and a lot of hard conversations have happened. A lot of work has gone in from her side to be able to produce what she produced in the final, because she did produce something quite special. She was able to put it all together on the biggest stage when it counted the most. That’s not an easy skill to have.”
Looking ahead, Ghoshal also mentioned that her mentality will continue to remain her biggest strength.
“She knows that there are many bigger things to go forward with, starting with the Asian Games later this year. She just needs to keep her head down, focus, and be the person and the player she is because it is very different for everyone else in the world.”
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The post : EXCLUSIVE: “It’s still not fully sunk in yet”: Anahat Singh on her epochal triumph at World Juniors Squash Championships appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
