Anahat Singh came from behind to beat Egypt’s Salma Hany and book her place in the semi-finals of the Silicon Valley Open, reaching the last four of a PSA Gold event for the first time. The 18-year-old recovered from a 2-1 deficit to win 4-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-2, 11-5 in a 42-minute contest.

The World No. 15 had a tough start against Hany, ranked 14th in the world, and found herself trailing twice in the match. But Anahat turned things around in the fourth game, dropping just two points before closing out the decider with another convincing performance. After the match, she admitted that she had not started well but was determined to make Hany work for the win.

“I did not start off well. The first game was 11-4, which was a pretty bad start. However, I wanted to find a way to make my way back into the match and put up a fight. Whether it resulted in a win or a loss, I did not want to let it go too easily,” Anahat said.

“I gave it my all in the second game and tried to make it one-all. We kept winning games alternately, so it was quite a roller coaster. I am happy I got through it,” she added.

A NEW MILESTONE FOR INDIAN SQUASH

The win takes Anahat into her first PSA Gold semi-final, another important step in her progress on the senior circuit. She had come close at the London Squash Classic, where she reached the quarter-finals. That made her the first Indian woman since Joshna Chinappa in 2021 to reach the last eight of a Gold-level event. This time, Anahat has gone one better.

Her run in Silicon Valley has also shown she can handle different kinds of challenges. Against Hany, she had to fight her way back into the match after losing two of the first three games. The way she took control in the final two games was in sharp contrast to her uncertain start.

ANAHAT’S BIG BREAKTHROUGH CONTINUES

Anahat had already made headlines in the previous round by beating Egypt’s eight-time world champion Nour El Sherbini. She won 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 in just 30 minutes, pulling off one of the biggest wins of her senior career. Following that up with a five-game comeback against Hany has made her run in California even more impressive.

She now faces Malaysia’s World No. 4 Sivasangari Subramaniam for a place in the final. The two met in the Asian Games 2026 women’s singles final, where Sivasangari won gold and Anahat settled for silver. The Indian will have another chance to test herself against the Malaysian, with a place in the Silicon Valley Open final at stake.

Anahat has already made history this year by becoming the first Indian to win the girls’ singles title at the World Junior Squash Championships, and she will be keen to add another milestone to that growing list.

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