Ontario, July 19 (IANS) India’s brightest young squash talents will begin their quest for global honours when the 2026 World Squash Junior Championships get underway in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, on Monday.
With the individual competition scheduled from July 20 to 25, followed by the men’s and women’s team events from July 26 to 31, India head into the tournament with one of their strongest contingents in recent years, led by top seed Anahat Singh.
The 18-year-old enters the championships as the No. 1 seed in the women’s singles after a stellar rise over the past year. Having become the first Indian in 15 years to win an individual medal at the junior worlds with a bronze in 2025, Anahat now arrives as one of the favourites to go a step further and script history.
Already ranked world No. 20 on the senior PSA Tour, Anahat has enjoyed an impressive season, collecting multiple PSA titles while establishing herself among the world’s leading young players. A title in Canada would make her the first Indian to be crowned junior world champion, surpassing Joshna Chinappa’s runner-up finish in 2005, which remains the country’s best result in the competition.
However, the road to the title is expected to be challenging. Egypt, long regarded as the dominant force in junior squash, once again boasts a formidable line-up, with Ruqayya Salem seeded second and Malika Elkaraksy and Barb Sameh sharing the third/fourth seedings. Four-time defending champion Amina Orfi, however, is no longer eligible, opening up the women’s draw.
India’s hopes in the men’s singles will rest largely on reigning Asian junior champion Aryaveer Dewan, who has been handed a 5/8 seeding. Dewan will aim to build on his recent continental success against a strong field led by Egypt’s Mohamad Zakaria, the two-time defending champion who is chasing a historic third consecutive junior world title.
The eight-member Indian squad will also feature in the team championships beginning on July 26. The men’s team enters the event after ending a 13-year medal drought by securing bronze in Cairo last year, with both Aryaveer Dewan and Yusha Nafees returning from that successful campaign. The women’s side, meanwhile, will look to improve on its top-six finish from last year’s edition.
Defending champions Egypt will once again be the team to beat as they seek to retain both the men’s and women’s titles, while more than 180 players from across the world are expected to compete in the individual events before 40 teams from 24 nations battle for team honours.
Where to watch:
Live streaming of the 2026 World Squash Junior Championships will be available on WorldSquashTV. The tournament will not be telecast on television in India.
India squad
Men: Aryaveer Dewan, Yusha Nafees, Gurveer Singh, Purav Rambhia
Women: Anahat Singh, Rudra Singh, Anika Dubey, Saanvi Kalanki
–IANS
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