New Delhi : For five years, the World Junior Squash Championship remained the one mountain Anahat Singh chipped away at. The heartbreaks of quarterfinals and semifinals finishes became familiar scripts. But on her final appearance as a junior at the Niagara-on-the-Lake (Canada) event on Saturday, the fearless Delhi girl finally rewrote the ending, becoming the first Indian to be crowned world junior champion.More than a historic title, it was a statement from the country’s brightest squash talent as India can now begin dreaming of a medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where the sport will make its Olympic debut.The 18-year-old top seed at the junior worlds and world No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour, ended Egypt’s 13time stranglehold on the girls’ title with a commanding 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 victory over second seed Ruqayya Salem in the final. Anahat also became the first nonEgyptian champion since Amanda Sobhy in 2010, while also going over Joshna Chinappa’s runner-up finish in 2005 to record India’s bestever result at the event.Her path to the title was anything but easy. After cruising through the early rounds, Anahat had to overcome three Egyptians in succession — Habiba Rizk in quarters, Barb Sameh in the semis and Salem in the title clash. Beating three Egyptians back-to-back underlined just how much the Delhi youngster has grown.The final showcased her maturity. She raced through the opening two games before Salem threatened a comeback by taking an 8-6 lead in the third. Undeterred, Anahat trusted her attacking instincts, fought back point by point and wrapped up the match in straight games.“I still feel like I’m dreaming,” Anahat said after the victory. “This tournament had almost become a curse for me. I’ve been losing in the semis and quarters over the last four years. This was my last year as a junior and my only chance to win it. It means the world.”That sense of relief was evident. Had she missed out this year, there would have been no second chance. She now moves full-time into the senior circuit as a world top-20 player carrying the confidence of a junior world champion. “I knew if I got stressed, I wouldn’t play well. I just focused on hitting my lines and enjoying every moment of playing a world championship final.”Coached by former world champion Gregory Gaultier, Anahat has evolved into one of the most exciting players on the circuit.Reflecting on her progress, Anahat said consistency has been the biggest change. “Earlier, I could raise my level for one big match but found it difficult to maintain that intensity throughout a tournament. Now I’ve learnt how to back up one tough match with another. Training harder, understanding the pace of the game and becoming more consistent have made all the difference,” she said.