Doha, September 12 (Daily Kiran) : Anahat Singh made a remarkable debut at the Qatar Classic Squash tournament held in Doha on September 12, 2026. Competing in the first round of the women’s singles, the 18-year-old, currently ranked 20th in the world, triumphed over Egypt’s Farida Mohammed, who is ranked 16th, in a thrilling four-game match. The scores were 13-11, 3-11, 11-7, and 11-7.
Having recently claimed the junior world championship title in July, Singh will now face Belgium’s ninth-ranked player, Tinne Gillis, in her next match. In the men’s division, Abhay Singh, ranked 24th, and Veer Chotrani, ranked 38th, are set to compete against Switzerland’s 22nd-ranked Dimitri Steinmann and New Zealand’s second-ranked Paul Coll, respectively.
Anahat, along with Abhay and Chotrani, will represent India in squash singles at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan later this month. Meanwhile, three-time world junior champion Mohammad Zakaria had to fight hard to secure his place in the second round against Rafael Kandra, who put up a strong performance.
Despite a spirited effort in the third game, Zakaria ultimately emerged victorious over the seasoned 35-year-old player. The tournament boasts a strong lineup, featuring top-ranked Egyptian players Mustafa Asal and Nouran Gohar, highlighting its significance in the global squash calendar.
In the men’s draw, Peru’s Diego Elias, the defending champion and currently ranked second in the world, will make his return. He will be joined by New Zealand’s Paul Coll (world number 3), Wales’ Joel Makin (world number 4), and British stars Marwan and Mohamed ElShorbagy.
Expectations for the host nation rest on national star Abdullah Al-Tamimi, ranked 22nd. He will compete alongside Salem Al-Malki and Ali Al-Darwish, who are participating via wild cards. In the women’s draw, Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini, the second-ranked player and defending champion, is among the top contenders, alongside her compatriot Hania El Hammamy (world number 3) and England’s Georgina Kennedy (world number 4).
Other results from the women’s first round include:
– Amina Orfi defeated Hana Ramadan 3-0 (11-2, 11-5, 11-5).
– Aifa Azman overcame Marina Stefanoni 3-1 (11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10).
– Fairooz Abouelkheir won against Nadeen Alhammami 3-0 (11-3, 11-5, 11-6).
– Nardin Garas edged out Noor Hekal 3-2 (11-9, 11-5, 1-11, 7-11, 11-7).
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