Rising Indian star Anahat Singh signed off with a runner-up finish in the girls’ under-17 category at the British Junior Open squash tournament here.
The Indian top-seed Anahat went down 2-3 to Egyptian second seed Nadien Elhammamy in a tense 68-minute cliffhanger at the University of Birmingham on Sunday. The 15-year-old won the opening game 11-7, before Elhammamy fought back to claim the next two on tiebreak 13-11 & 12-10.
The Delhi girl won the fourth game 11-5 to force a decider, and not much separated the pair in the fifth, which the Egyptian clinched 11-9.
Late last month, Anahat won the Under-19 crown at the Scottish Junior Open to cap a spectacular 2023.
In 2023, Anahat secured the under-19 and senior National championship double, besides winning bronze medals in the mixed doubles and team event at the Asian Games Huangzhou.
She also won another bronze partnering Abhay Singh at the inaugural Asian Mixed Doubles Championships. Meanwhile, Aryaveer Dewan, the reigning US Junior Open boys’ under-15 champion, took third place in the boys’ under-15 section.
He lost to Egyptian top seed Philopater Saleh 3-1 in the semifinals, but bounced back to win the play-off for third place.
Promising Aadya Budhia was edged out 3-2 by top seeded American Vivienne Sze in the under-13 girls’ quarterfinals.
